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The current state of affairs reported in the news may not instill much confidence in human nature. Boris Johnson, for instance, has managed to have a committee predominantly comprised of Tories label him as a liar. Meanwhile, Donald Trump finds himself arrested once again, and the recent passing of Silvio Berlusconi serves as a stark reminder that his influence normalized negative behavior towards women.
It comes as no surprise, then, that a recent study published in Nature suggests a prevailing belief across 60 nations that moral decline is a widespread issue. Some attribute this decline to the older generation becoming less moral and the younger generation being even more immoral than their predecessors.
However, I’d like to share this research not to further diminish our faith in humanity, but to rebuild it. The study reveals that the perception of moral decline has been present throughout history, dating back to the year 1949 and possibly even further.
By analyzing extensive survey data from the United States, the researchers demonstrate that the belief in moral decline back in 1949 is just as prevalent as it is in 2019. In fact, this belief has persisted for centuries, with even the ancient historian Livy lamenting the moral state of Roman citizens 2,000 years ago.
Now, one might argue that we are slowly deteriorating over time. However, the researchers dispel this notion by highlighting significant progress made on certain issues, such as reduced homophobia. Furthermore, when examining people’s perception of the day-to-day morality of their peers through surveys dating back to 1965, they find no evidence of a decline in moral behavior over time.
Essentially, our cognitive bias drives us to believe that the past was more morally upright, just as we tend to remember positive events while conveniently forgetting the negative ones. So, let us not lose hope in humanity just yet – instead, let’s choose to elect better leaders.
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