If asked to provide a description of morality, most would respond that morals are closely tied to religious values. While it is true that almost every religion has at its core a basic set of rules for acceptable conduct, a commitment to genuine morality involves much more than following any dogma or commandment. In order to improve morality in our society we must all become more personally involved.

Leaving aside the aspect of reward and punishment, either in the afterlife or here on the temporal plane, we must first accurately describe what morals are. Some might question the purpose of morals if there were no consequence for immoral acts. In that light, it is apparent that some confuse morals with righteousness. Righteousness precludes the possibility of other viewpoints, while the pursuit of morality encompasses all perspectives.

To further illustrate the difference between righteousness and morality, it is necessary to consider how many religions discount the beliefs of others, including agnostics. The righteous give lip service to the concept that every individual has a right to their convictions. No one person or religion has sole ownership of the truth, and to state otherwise is deeply immoral. Extreme examples of skewed religious morality include the abuses suffered under the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem witch trials. While there are those who would say that such events could never happen today, it is a sad fact that religious fanaticism is on the increase.

Sincere morality is attained with a combination of tolerance, compassion, and humility. These attributes allow the thinking individual to make decisions based on the greater good, and to balance the need for personal gain with a measure of conscience. But how is this lofty principle best accomplished on a personal level? The answer lies in fostering a social conscience in our children. In a more immediate way, we should do more to discover our own potential, using our gifts to improve society. Lastly, we need to shun hypocrisy by being a good example.

The nurturing of our young is paramount to a moral society. Our children must be made to understand at the earliest opportunity that they are unique, and that the gifts that they’ve been given must be developed. They should be made to understand that ability goes hand in hand with responsibility.

Somehow that lesson has been lost to some who have chosen to immerse themselves in greed. That failure to appreciate the consequence of immorality has led to the financial and ethical morass that we find ourselves mired in today. We can only hope that our children recognize the price of avarice, and become better citizens than we have been.

We are all given particular talents that make us stand out among our peers. It is tempting to rest on our laurels and allow apathy to gain control over our lives. It is vital, especially in this time of crisis, to stretch our abilities in order to make a positive impact. We must ask ourselves how we can use our gifts to improve society, while doing our part to strengthen the overall moral character of our generation.

We are aided in that respect by the voice of conscience which helps define our path. If our talent lies in business administration, then we must choose the moral course. If we have an aptitude for expression in art or literature, then we can nudge opinion and moral behavior toward the higher path. Throughout history, the writer has had the greatest impact for moral and societal improvement.

If we choose to use our voice and talents in a moral way, yet live the rest of our lives in an immoral fashion, we destroy what little influence we were able to exert. If we refocus our attention outward, making a commitment to have a positive impact, we become the model for an optimistic world.