The “virtue” that I prize most is honesty. I may do and say many things, but I will not lie. Anyone who knows me knows this and it is not without its problems. But this was instilled in me at an early age. Your word is your bond, it is who you are, etc. We were taught that all men are created in God’s image and race is superficial. But other values, such as standing up for social injustice, was not really instilled in us beyond “do the right thing”. Justice was not instilled as a value.
In White Guilt, Shelby Steele compares the moral “sins” of Clinton and Eisenhower to illustrate a point. A journalist noted that Eisenhower occasionally used a racial slur on the golf course (this was unsubstantiated but going with the assumption it was accurate). While inappropriate this was not considered morally disqualifying for the Presidency. Clinton was caught in sexual immorality. While this was considered inappropriate it was at the same time considered a personal issue and not morally disqualifying for the Presidency.
But had the transgressions been reversed, had Eisenhower been caught in the same situation as Clinton, and Clinton in the same situation as Eisenhower, both would have been removed from office. Racial immorality was considered acceptable in the 50’s while sexual immorality was not. The inverse is true today.
I think what bothers me the most about todays culture is it is dishonest to the core. There is a focus on issues that should have been at the forefront decades ago and this is a good thing. But there seems to be a trend to lie about things to support agendas (on all sides in public life). For example, George Floyd was unjustly killed (at a minimum by not giving him the help he needed). But our nation creates a false story about his life and honors the man himself (a career violent criminal who did shortly after committing a crime while high on drugs).
I wonder what other values have shifted over the decades – what values have moved into the realm of inconsequential and what values have moved into the forefront of public life.
In White Guilt, Shelby Steele compares the moral “sins” of Clinton and Eisenhower to illustrate a point. A journalist noted that Eisenhower occasionally used a racial slur on the golf course (this was unsubstantiated but going with the assumption it was accurate). While inappropriate this was not considered morally disqualifying for the Presidency. Clinton was caught in sexual immorality. While this was considered inappropriate it was at the same time considered a personal issue and not morally disqualifying for the Presidency.
But had the transgressions been reversed, had Eisenhower been caught in the same situation as Clinton, and Clinton in the same situation as Eisenhower, both would have been removed from office. Racial immorality was considered acceptable in the 50’s while sexual immorality was not. The inverse is true today.
I think what bothers me the most about todays culture is it is dishonest to the core. There is a focus on issues that should have been at the forefront decades ago and this is a good thing. But there seems to be a trend to lie about things to support agendas (on all sides in public life). For example, George Floyd was unjustly killed (at a minimum by not giving him the help he needed). But our nation creates a false story about his life and honors the man himself (a career violent criminal who did shortly after committing a crime while high on drugs).
I wonder what other values have shifted over the decades – what values have moved into the realm of inconsequential and what values have moved into the forefront of public life.
