Where are the Values we upheld just a decade ago?

Where are the Values we upheld just a decade ago?

We talk a lot about the loss of values in life. We hear people pontificating on the importance of values and the perils that underlie the loss of it. But if you were to be asked, what the true meaning of values is, most of us wouldn’t have a straight forward answer to it. Moral values are the worthy ideals or principles that one follows to distinguish the right from the wrong. In a wider sense, moral values are something that teaches us good virtues, including honesty, truthfulness, kindness, integrity, helpfulness, compassion, love, respect for others, hard-work, co-operation, forgiveness etc.

Today we witness a rapid decline in these value in the modern society. This is especially so among the newer generations. Degradation of moral values among the younger generation is an emerging issue. The youngsters or adolescents are the future of tomorrow. Moreover, youth power is the driving force of a nation. But, now a day’s youth is adversely diverted towards different immoral activities. If we want to see a new world as a well-established and respected one, it is crucial to think over this issues affecting our future generation who is responsible for building a brighter future. The factors affecting this degradation could be, influence of nuclear families and materialistic way of life, breakdown of parental control of children in the families, influence of peer groups, gender bias, attraction of change or modernization, influence of mass media, lacking of learning positive atmosphere at school, lacking of co-curricular activities based on moral values, dirty politics, desire of self-exhibition, lack of academic syllabus related to human values, blind following of western culture, present examples of success in the society lacking moral values etc. Considering these factors and brainstorming against fighting these affecting factors is the earnest duty of every responsible citizen of the society.

Moral values are fading these days. The youngsters are busy preparing for their careers and enjoying their life. They have little concern for social problems or family affairs. The old people are often neglected. We hear cases of young people mistreating their old parents or even throwing them out. Due to the highly competitive life, the small children are neglected. The parents leave them in crèches where they are devoid of warmth and care. The culture is degrading day by day due to the effect of the western influence and movies which often mislead the younger generation. Middle-age people are struggling hard to keep up with their families due to the rising inflation and weak government policies.

Electronic gadgets and mobile apps have changed the methods of learning. Children are addicted to the online mode of education. As the effect of the pandemic is diminishing, they have started attending offline classes. But we see nowadays that they have less regard for their mentors and they are glued to their iPad and laptops. Gone are the days when students valued their teachers and had immense gratitude for them.
Our avarice and greed have led to low ethics and moral values, thus increasing crimes resulting in fear and threat among innocent masses. The divide between the haves and have nots has created a class of rude and arrogant rich class causing animosity between people. People in this information age are busy with their selfish pursuits and lack human values. Those who are fortunate enough to grab good education and a lucrative job, hold top positions and live the affluent lifestyle, hardly feel the pain of others and don’t bother about the problems of even their kith and kin.

In today’s modern world, the decline of morality among our teenagers is very evident. Three main causes were pointed out in this study: mass media, peer pressure, and poor family involvement. With this, there is an urgent need for an effective evangelization, and this is the task of contextual theology, a kind of theologizing that adapts the context of our teens’ culture. The use of contextual theology enables religious educators to use an approach which is characterized by the process of engagement. This process aims to understand first the context, together with the kind of culture that they are immersed and the meaning of expressions that they utter. After engaging, the purification of this sad reality begins by highlighting and integrating the gospel values, which is the life-giving spirit of the teachings of many great spiritual leader. Finally, this paper hopes to provide for future researchers a clearer perspective on how to make an effective approach in addressing this problem. This task is an ongoing endeavor not only for religious educators but also to those who are involve in the formation of our teens’ values. They can enhance and innovate the used theological techniques according to the signs of the times.