Are morals just another tool to control the lower classes?

  • Not saying every moral rule is bad like no murder yes I agree. Thats wrong but I'm talking about morality in the sense, defer to your superiors, share what you have, don't ask for more. A poor man is happier than a rich man. Some of it seems like social conditioning but idk when every morally good character puts others needs or the greater good above their own.


    I'd also like to read up on similar or opposing view points. So please do recommend books and videos as well.

    Desbundar

  • Actually, this is an interesting thing to talk about. People from lower classes are easier to control, for example with religion or doctrines (see communism). During communism years everyone was asked to live the same, so there would be no inequalities and everyone would be happy, even tho the ones who said that lived 30 times better than the rest of the population.

    Morals keep people in their places. People from lower classes usually lack education and they aren't able to see a bigger picture of how society actually works. "I shouldn't do X because I would be a bad person", I guess everyone was thinking about this at least once in their lives, but tbh, what I think would be immoral maybe another would think it's moral. It's a subjective perspective.


    Have you ever read Karel Čapek's works? If you can find Stories from a Pocket and Stories from Another Pocket you should read them, he explores more perspectives of justice and who is entitled to make laws, considering that no one can be 100% objective. He also has stories about how can someone judge some people who all their life lived under some beliefs.

  • Actually, this is an interesting thing to talk about. People from lower classes are easier to control, for example with religion or doctrines (see communism). During communism years everyone was asked to live the same, so there would be no inequalities and everyone would be happy, even tho the ones who said that lived 30 times better than the rest of the population.

    Morals keep people in their places. People from lower classes usually lack education and they aren't able to see a bigger picture of how society actually works. "I shouldn't do X because I would be a bad person", I guess everyone was thinking about this at least once in their lives, but tbh, what I think would be immoral maybe another would think it's moral. It's a subjective perspective.


    Have you ever read Karel Čapek's works? If you can find Stories from a Pocket and Stories from Another Pocket you should read them, he explores more perspectives of justice and who is entitled to make laws, considering that no one can be 100% objective. He also has stories about how can someone judge some people who all their life lived under some beliefs.

    Thank you soo much! idk why I've become obsessed with social power, who holds it and where it's concentrated these days...


    I'll definitely read them! I tried to find it on Amazon but it's not deliverable to my region. Ig I'll have to look online. Thank you soo much :iloveyoub:

    Desbundar

  • What’s that list based on? Anyways, according to that list a universal moral is “divide resources fairly”. So it’s really not against the lower classes. That actually sounds very communist and anti-class society.

    It's just a general list....


    Not all of them have to be adhered to nor followed for a person to be considered as moral right?

    Desbundar

  • what are morals?


    plural noun: morals

    1. 1. a lesson that can be derived from a story or experience. "the moral of this story was that one must see the beauty in what one has" Similar: lesson
    2. 2. standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong. "the corruption of public morals"


    if we go for standards of behaviour then the question becomes what standard...what generation...what social-economic status? race? gender? political alignment? etc etc


    at the end of the day it's not morals that matter it's power!!!


    those with power dictate the type of morals one has (and in reference to your title) especially those without power...

  • Not saying every moral rule is bad like no murder yes I agree. Thats wrong but I'm talking about morality in the sense, defer to your superiors, share what you have, don't ask for more. A poor man is happier than a rich man. Some of it seems like social conditioning but idk when every morally good character puts others needs or the greater good above their own.


    I'd also like to read up on similar or opposing view points. So please do recommend books and videos as well.

    I don't think these are social conditioning because you do come to a point in time you realize that there's a reason these exist, and that culture likes to muddle them up. For example, you have to defer to your superiors because that allows us to live in an organized society (and someone has to lead us) but there are people who aren't fit to lead and use their position as an opportunity to power trip. A poor man is generally happier than a rich man, but it isn't the case for everyone out there.


    Final answer is no, I don't believe in social conditioning when it comes to those topics (or at least in some situations). We could also argue that some beliefs in this age of extreme self-care and self-love movements (turning people into narcissists instead of encouraging accountability, healthy mindsets, and behaviors) can be considered social conditioning, such as putting yourself first before others. Both sides of the equation is extreme, and people tend to tip it towards one scale as much as they can, before going the opposite direction to do exactly the same thing.

  • at the end of the day it's not morals that matter it's power!!!


    those with power dictate the type of morals one has (and in reference to your title) especially those without power...

    Emperor's New Clothes, anyone? People were scared to point out that their leader isn't wearing anything for fear of being ridiculed, when it was the insecurity of that same emperor that made him declare he can see the clothes even though he doesn't.

  • Emperor's New Clothes, anyone? People were scared to point out that their leader isn't wearing anything for fear of being ridiculed, when it was the insecurity of that same emperor that made him declare he can see the clothes even though he doesn't.

    I'm more referring to the fact that there is a set of morals for the elite and the powerful and a set of morals for others...


    religious folks have been saying sanctity of marriage whilst on their fifth wife

    Jeff Bezos talks about the importance of his staff whilst the lowest paid have to pee in bottles

    etc etc


    do as I say and not as I do!!!!

  • Oh, there's a term for that: hypocrisy.


    But still, regardless of whether one says something yet does another, one hypocrite shouldn't ruin the concept of morals for the rest. We are at our most human when we have a set of healthy and realistic standards and behaviors to adhere to.


    Another user suggested some books, gonna check those out. Thanks to the OP and to that user (also to you, Selfie!)

  • Oh, there's a term for that: hypocrisy.


    But still, regardless of whether one says something yet does another, one hypocrite shouldn't ruin the concept of morals for the rest. We are at our most human when we have a set of healthy and realistic standards and behaviors to adhere to.


    Another user suggested some books, gonna check those out. Thanks to the OP and to that user (also to you, Selfie!)

    but when that hypocrisy doesn't have any consequences it slowly becomes the norm...


    like when CEO's get massive payouts due to retirement because they inappropriately touched someone or lay off 1000 workers...that behaviour slowly becomes the norm!!!!

    and when it does it slowly changes the way morals are held so if that kind of behaviour is seen to be dominate and rewarded without punishment...there will be people that will try to emulate such behaviours...


    if you can't beat them join them???

  • This is the saddest part...and it's only going to get worst. However, aside from those in power, how do we ordinary people contribute to this is the question.

  • This is the saddest part...and it's only going to get worst. However, aside from those in power, how do we ordinary people contribute to this is the question.

    well for one there is cancel culture...


    if the masses are cohesive and collective enough...and come together for a common purpose to oust-call out that bad behaviour until there is change...


    but for every person cancelling someone there might be a person on the other end defending such behaviours...


    but for the single average common ordinary folk who has no power...deal with it or learn to play the game better than they can...

  • What you listed doesn't sound like "morals" to me. But it does sound like code of conducts. Certain accepted code of conducts do tend to keep the lower class stay low. But at the same time, defying those conducts has their own risks. Those who follow those conduct and those who don't have their own benefit to gain.

  • I think certain religious mores and social codes were developed with that in mind like "the meek shall inherit the earth" type stuff, not necessarily just with lower economic classes but also for minorities and women too. For example, the idea that a good woman "keeps sweet" and defers to her husband is definitely about control and keeping her in her place.

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