Morality, did it get Cancelled Too?

Morality – a particular system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a specified person or society.

My mother and father are both deceased, my children are grown, and I am no longer viewed as a young man but I do read a lot in an effort to stay current on societal norms.  I remember growing up in the 60s and 70s; hearing adults discussing how the television would be the end of morality in our country.  They feared the information depicted on the screen was offensive to their moral beliefs and would undermine the values they were teaching to their children.  As a kid, I didn’t fully understand what they were talking about; the television shows were interesting, funny, and very exciting; especially when I saw something, I thought was taboo.  We were able to see distant lands, experience things not happening in our small town, and we were told stories without having to read a book. 

Now, the world is so different, but is it?  I now think my parent’s worst fears have come true.

As a wiser adult, I understand the truths my parents were justly concern for. Our lives are shaped largely by the decisions we make on a daily basis.  Even the smallest decision can have huge, long-lasting repercussions.  Sometimes, in mere seconds using the knowledge and values we have; we must evaluate countless choices, settle on the one we like the best, and go on with our lives.  Parents are charged with establishing the foundational knowledge of this process that comes from moral/ethical principles.  It is our moral values that gives us that added pause; pushing us to think about the consequences of our actions.

The question our parents struggled with was; “Does what our children watch on television, or now the internet, influence the decisions they will make?”

The quick answer is a resounding yes, especially to the young who routinely spend hours a day over numerous years consuming the controlled messages imbedded in the material they are hearing, seeing, and believing to be true.  For adults, most of what we watch on television will be considered purely entertaining but any repeated messaging can change our views and beliefs.  To a young person, someone under twenty-five whose brains are not fully developed, along with their limited life experience, and whose hormone-induced emotions, more than morals, fuel their daily changing beliefs; the exposure to stimulating messaging definitely sways their moral judgment.

Last week I was presented with multiple examples of how this type of hidden messaging is projected to the masses; effectively cancelling the moral values held by many in our society.  On three different shows, on three different channels, we watched a situation spotlighting a man and a woman, faced with an unplanned pregnancy.  None were married to each other, one couple were in their twenties, another was in their thirties, and the other in their mid-forties.  One of the women was cheating on a spouse, the other two couples were not married. 

I found it extremely telling that in each scenario, when the six characters shared their dilemma with people in their lives, they framed the decision-making process as “complicated”.  Every show used that exact wording.  The show depicted the internal struggles of each person having to weigh the decision of whether to have the child or abort the pregnancy.  In each case, those were the only two choices given; that was the extent of considerable options to this “complicated” decision.  

At no time did either party reflect openly or have conversations on the earlier “uncomplicated” bad decision of not giving in to their sexual urges; which was the main problem resulting in the unwanted pregnancy.  Like many immoral or questionable actions in today’s culture, sex has become a “right”, not a choice; regardless of who gets hurt from the outcome.  

This portrayal speaks volumes to the immoral climate of today’s open sexuality between unwed adults.  Most of the young people reading this may not be aware that once upon a time, the primary reason pre-marital sex was viewed as immoral was because almost every religion taught that it was and, as a society, we made an attempt, to protect an unborn child from the bad selfish choices of horny people. Believe it or not, an unborn innocent life was once viewed as precious not a complication; not something to be suctioned down a drain.  Marriage was a moral covenant structured to give babies a fighting chance by being grounded in the strength of a united moral family. 

I cringe when people say, “Who are you to say what I do is wrong”?  Never mind that you want my tax dollars to fund your abortions. Do you care that my underage children, who don’t understand adult love, or the consequences associated with pre-marital sex, is viewing this as normal, rational, and moral behavior.

Sadly, once the innocent life is created by the selfish acts of two consenting adults, the parent’s future decision-making process as it pertains to the negative consequences of this problem, will continue to be based on only selfish choices.  This pattern is why people who routinely make poor choices say, “Bad luck just keeps following me.” or “I can’t catch a break.”  In this case, they believe they have to hide their selfish mistake by killing the baby or keep the baby because they selfishly want to play mommy and daddy without actually vowing to stay together for the benefit of the child. 

It is said, “The shows we produce on television and films are created as a direct reflection of the real society in which we live.”

That statement, because it’s so true, should scare and horrify every moral person on this planet.  We have become a selfish people who cannot bear to be reprimanded.  This is why most television shows no longer depict, consider, or discuss the right, just, and selfless option of adoption.  To be selfless is very difficult, it requires the parents to think only of the child’s best interest.  The parents must suffer through nine months of selfless loving care of the child, only to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sole benefit of the child.  Giving the child to a loving couple who is fully committed to each other, and to the new addition, is a tough decision; but to the unselfish, it is not complicated. 

If the majority of film and television programing offered the moral solutions to the problems in their stories, today’s society would be in conflict with itself.  I pose, that is why we have so much unrest in areas where moral conflict does exist.  The rioting, gun violence, and division in our cities are a direct reflection of the moral decay effecting a growing number of people; yet to turn this Country around, a moral unity most be found.  This is a complicated problem and is much easier said than done.  The war raging between moral and immoral values is real and timeless.  When the American audience begin to clamor to see morality on the screen, we will begin to regain wise decision making in this country.  We, the people, should ask the Cancel Culture to cancel immorality not history.           

If this is my last post, I want all to know there was only one purpose for all that I have written; to have made a positive difference in the lives of others.

Anthony “Tony” Boquet, the author of “The Bloodline of Wisdom, The Awakening of a Modern Solutionary”