We often hear “things were better before”. The idea is that in the past, you could trust other people, that people respected each other , however, the social fabric of our society appears to be unravelling. It is difficult to imagine an older person who does not judge or blame younger generations for being unethical, immoral, or decadent. Civility seems like an old-fashioned habit, honesty like an optional exercise and trust like the relic of another time. I observe our neighbours as less generous and less helpful, my co-workers to be more likely to treat each other disrespectfully and betray each other’s trust.

We do not wear a seatbelt or helmet on the road and speed through traffic lights while complaining about politics, the collapse of the economy, and lawlessness. One of the elders in my family, when performing ablution, used to drink the leftover water. On my inquiry, he explained that water should not be wasted. Another elder did not have any new notebooks, leftover paper and receipts were used. If one goes back even further, we see that sustainability was not a fancy concept waiting to be implemented, it was a way of life without anyone having to teach it to them. The first time my school mentioned values, it was for the week dedicated to values. Each day, we would have a new value (honesty, integrity, kindness, and so on). Math, Science and Urdu, mostly get wiped from the minds of children sitting there, the real lessons are learned from the actions of the adults around us. The situation has become more dangerous and alarming when the degeneracy is not even felt as such. Examples of bad behaviour get more pronounced in our society that is suffering from poverty, lack of good parenting, quality basic education, unemployment, political and economic instability, rampant corruption, poor judicial system, and practice of religious bigotry for socio-economic reasons. Violence has become rampant. Sexual harassment and corruption have become an everyday occurrence. Money and material well-being are priority goals for millions of people, who would easily give up their moral principles for financial gain or authority.

What is the definition of the word moral ? I looked it up in the dictionary as “Concerning or relating to what is right and wrong in human behaviour.” Morality is an important component of a human being because it helps shape the ethical foundation that every human being has.The reasons for moral degradation may include: an “anything goes” attitude, banishment of the distance between “right” and “wrong”, feeling that morality is dispensable, commercial greed, redefining morality to suit one’s self, self-indulgence, etc. Pakistan’s sab chalta hai (anything goes) mentality epitomises a society desensitised to right and wrong. Expressions like goli dey dee (evading responsibility), topi penha dee (fooling someone), and truck kee batti kay peechhay laga deya (misleading with false hopes) illustrate the societal normalisation of dishonesty. Pakistan’s moral decay is painfully evident in global rankings – 100th worst passport, 47th most corrupt nation, and 13th lowest in rule of law. Who will uphold the constitution of our moral values? The government cannot do that for us. Only we can do that for ourselves, only we can change and improve what is within us and around our immediate circles. I strive with hope for peace and justice, yet I am reminded daily of our continued divergence from these ideals.

In conclusion, moral decadence is an overarching reality. In a society full of moral compromise, even the most ethical and committed person feels the damaging effects of moral depravity. The most serious is probably the growing acceptance of lower moral standards in society. People no longer care about violence, discrimination, harassment, or conflicts. They are just too busy doing their everyday work to show their commitment or try to defend higher moral ideals. Moral decadence creates a general sense of cynicism. People no longer expect each other to be noble. They no longer expect each other to be honest. In this morally decadent society, people have to comply with new and lower standards and moral norms, and this is not the worst part of the story. Compliance and collectivism – people do not want to look different or stand out against the crowd, trying to defend their moral principles. They do not want to go against the moral tide, because it translates into joblessness, isolation, exclusion, and public shaming. They are not ready to fight against the system of moral decadence and decay. As a result, the society is choosing a path of moral self-destruction. At the end, it will be an immoral and deeply degenerated society, because only continuous moral development can keep societies flourishing. We as a society must maintain high moral standards to preserve our economic, social, and cultural well-being.

The writer is an ex-banker and a freelance columnist. She can be reached at tbjs.cancer.1954 @gmail.com

Note: This article first appeared in the Daily Times on May 8, 2025.