Meditating on ethics can bring peace to the world.
The recipe is to add positive energy to the negativity you find.
In Australia, there is a quiet revolution taking place in education. Quiet because I suspect that the government doesn’t want to have to explain its position on the fact that they are limiting information and the ability of free thinking. I am talking about the governments, I said ethics classes. So immoral and degenerate that they have raised the hackles of government officials. Australian newspapers are reporting on the sad state of affairs.
Ethics and free thinking seem to be something the government does not want its people to be doing. Yet this is, I believe, the basis of the corruption, hatred and spite in our world.
The government is informing parents of religious classes and only when parents decline having their child participate in religious education are they informed of the availability of ethics classes. In 2010, the right of school districts to offer ethics as well as religious class was made into law. I really don’t see why this is an issue which needed the government to pass a law.
In our world, morals and ethics have become something to be circumvented in many situations in life. Big business, Wall Street and officials of almost every country are demonstrating their aversion to ethical behavior. During my career, I have seen a lack of ethics even in the non-profit world. I also believe that we need to teach ethics to the young. They need an ethical compass because humans beings have demonstrated over and over how unethical we can be. How much devastation and pain we are capable of inflicting upon each other demonstrates our ability to act without scruples or ethics. I think we could add ethics classes in elementary schools. Children need to know how to make the right and ethical decision and parents have been shirking ethical training in many cases. To know how to decide how to make an ethical choice is an important part of growing up. There is a difference between doing what you have been told is the thing to do and making ethical decisions. I hope this trend in Australia does not spread to other countries in the world.
” Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity.”
——-Nancy Astor
Blue Ridge Mountain sunset. Photo and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2013
idealisticrebel 
The only way to pass on ethics to the young is via setting an example. It is no point teaching the child ethical action if they see authority figures doing the opposite.
Alex you are right but the number of people who live ethical lives is decreasing and our young people are being seduced into self-centered lives. Education must include everything one needs to lead a fully developed life. Parents would be good but since most religions are teaching that hate is holy, I see certain drawbacks. Hugs and harmony, Barbara
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat.Com™ and commented:
Welcome Back Ms. Barbara, hope all went wee and you are doing very good.
a worthwhile article to read indeed. Ethics and morals are the pillars of any society of any people once they’re undermined ,society will disappear too,because morals are organizing realationships ,animals have morals ,and if we ponder on them we’ll find they’re not that different from ours because morals are meant to keep a race ,a species from extinction and keep chaos at bay . It’s a thought -provoking piece of writing =) I enjoyed reading .Thanks for sharing .
this is so true.
To late, that I am aware of Ethics is no longer taught in the US.
It is on the college level. I think we would be a better nation with ethical conduct at our core.