Off the pedestal

Have moral values in our society been degrading over time? This question haunts us each time a much-respected public figure topples from a...

Have moral values in our society been degrading over time? This question haunts us each time a much-respected public figure topples from a pre-eminent position either on charges of financial scandal or of moral turpitude. It is a pertinent question as we absorb the implications of Kapil Dev being reduced to tears in front of the television camera. Unlike other clear-cut societal trends such as rising per capita income, rising life expectancy, declining child mortality, improving information technology and so on, the trend in ethical values is not as clear cut. For, in matters of ethics the trend either way is difficult to establish. Besides definitional and methodological complexities, there are others reasons that contribute to the difficulty.

The first difficulty lies in defining history. While there is consensus on broad historical contours, controversies around historical events and personalities abound, and are in fact the pastime of historians. History has indeed witnessed many great personalities with no parallels in recent times. These great personalities lived, worked, waged several battles for the public good. But time and again a research scholar armed with better analytical techniques comes up with findings that cast doubt on the personal or professional integrity of such great historical figures whether it is the personal integrity of Gandhi or the professional rectitude of Van Gogh.

The second difficulty is in establishing that unearthing of such cases is due to an increase in their number and not due merely to greater media awareness. It could well be the case that such incidents are still stray incidents overplayed by a overzealous media with enormous power and reach. The public interprets this as declining ethical or moral values in society.The third difficulty is that the yardstick deployed to evaluate ethics in this more competitive age may itself have changed with time. Because of heavy demand of competition, some people may even endorse acts, which by past standards have strictly been either forbidden or considered bad, immoral or outrightly illegal.

Story continues below this ad

While establishing a clear-cut trend in ethics is difficult, one thing can be said for sure. It is that the star status enjoyed in our society not by one, two or three but by many people from different walks of life is unparalleled in history. Stars or heroes wield a phenomenal grip and influence over the masses. These stars are the trendsetters, defining standards in society. Exceptional merit alone cannot turn a person into a star. One needs the backing of the all powerful media.

However, when these stars are charged with some wrong doings, it has great repercussions for the moral fabric of a society. Recurrence of such incidents gives the impression of declining moral standards. How do people react to such incidents? Some people tend to lose confidence in the whole system. It is not just the stars directly involved that fall from grace. The whole profession comes under a cloud of suspicion. To them the system appears to be some kind of conspiracy. Others revise their notion of fairness, legitimising the ways and means of their stars. They don’t shy away from doing what their stars do.

When as a student I was newly introduced to economics I admired K. Krishnamurti, former Planning Commission member, for his ideas and eloquence. I used to follow his articles and interviews in the media. However, the news of his involvement in financial irregularities jolted me.Because these stars have a vast fan following, many may forgive them for their wrong doings as seen in public referendums or on Net polls. In fact, punishment meted out to such stars for a given crime must be higher than to non-stars precisely because these stars serve as role models in society.