The moral decay of our time

What is more dangerous than moral relativism is the inversion of good. It is when good is twisted or abused for evil's sake. For example, in "1984," George Orwell states, "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength." The inversion here is not the equal value of good and evil but the abuse of good for evil's sake. The inversion happens when harm is justified as benign for the greater good, as the eugenicists, de-populationists, or climate fundamentalists claim about the mass deaths of human beings for the betterment of the future of the earth or humanity to advance the establishment of absolute control.

Finally, impunity is the reason for the decreased trust in moral integrity in many political, social, and legal institutions. It is bizarre to observe that while most people are more afraid to be exposed on social media, some powerful people are unafraid to lie, for they know they are untouchable and unpunishable. Many wars have been waged through lies, such as the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, and the war in Ukraine. Additionally, more wars continue to be instigated through lies, manipulation, and a lack of accountability. The lies are perpetuated in and by media, politicians, and political institutions to justify them in a coordinated way, creating the illusion that the most discussed lies are the best to accept and believe in. Among all the recent factors, COVID-19 has intensified the fast collapse of this sense of trust, with the deaths of millions, some of whom could have been saved. No government, politicians, or medical experts have ever expressed their responsibility for the most unprecedented loss of the last 200 years, apart from WWII.

When a crime is not punished, people lose their trust in justice. When justice is selective, and criminals are protected, no one takes the essential concepts of good, truth, and justice seriously. Hence, nothing motivates them to consider the moral meaning of their actions, eventually making no sense for them to be good or evil and leading to societal collapse and civilisational death.

Many empires and civilizations experienced a decline in moral values that hastened their downfall. This decline manifested as moral apathy, spiritual corruption, and a widespread acceptance of the lack of courage and honour. Common to all is the loss of distinction between good and evil, as well as other dichotomies such as sacred and profane, nobility and mediocrity, and common sense and nonsense, which are essential for upholding moral values and social order. When these distinctions are blurred or inverted, it signals the impending collapse of society into moral chaos.

And this is where we are all headed.