Why Do We Teach Kids To Be Good?

[Rival]

Title seems a bit silly huh? Obviously we should. Or...wait...

All their young lives our children are taught to be honest, to be fair, to be moderate and kind. These along with a whole host of other moral virtues that our society says it values.

Until they grow up.

The world is a harsh, cruel place where it's first come first serve, you have to be ruthless, to lie, to cheat and do anything to get that job. It's tough out there you know (implying that everyone else is a soulless b*stard).

So really, our society doesn't value these morals so much. If at all. I'd go so far as to say it doesn't at all. I mean can you imagine if hiring employees was an ethical practice? If buying and selling were ethical? If adverts were honest about products? Then we'd value moral virtue.

The mantra seems to be 'Be moral...when it suits you.'

So what gives? Why bother teaching kids to be good at all? It's not like we value it.

 

[Muslim-UK]

Those raised with morals and a fear of God hope to treat others well. If they don't get a job because someone else lied and was ruthless in making sure they got it, no matter God will provide something better. Good energy attracts like minded people, and you can get through life with good morals, whilst being wise and able to detect wolves around you.

Everyone loves it when someone takes time out to feed a homeless person, or stops to help a elderly person cross a busy road. People do by and large appreciate good, honest, reliable people.

 

[sayak83]

Title seems a bit silly huh? Obviously we should. Or...wait...

All their young lives our children are taught to be honest, to be fair, to be moderate and kind. These along with a whole host of other moral virtues that our society says it values.

Until they grow up.

The world is a harsh, cruel place where it's first come first serve, you have to be ruthless, to lie, to cheat and do anything to get that job. It's tough out there you know (implying that everyone else is a soulless b*stard).

So really, our society doesn't value these morals so much. If at all. I'd go so far as to say it doesn't at all. I mean can you imagine if hiring employees was an ethical practice? If buying and selling were ethical? If adverts were honest about products? Then we'd value moral virtue.

The mantra seems to be 'Be moral...when it suits you.'

So what gives? Why bother teaching kids to be good at all? It's not like we value it.

Here's why
Kids with More Self-Control May Become Healthier Adults

 

[Rival]

Here's why
Kids with More Self-Control May Become Healthier Adults

Yes but most parents aren't doing it for this reason.

 

[bobhikes]

Title seems a bit silly huh? Obviously we should. Or...wait...

All their young lives our children are taught to be honest, to be fair, to be moderate and kind. These along with a whole host of other moral virtues that our society says it values.

Until they grow up.

The world is a harsh, cruel place where it's first come first serve, you have to be ruthless, to lie, to cheat and do anything to get that job. It's tough out there you know (implying that everyone else is a soulless b*stard).

So really, our society doesn't value these morals so much. If at all. I'd go so far as to say it doesn't at all. I mean can you imagine if hiring employees was an ethical practice? If buying and selling were ethical? If adverts were honest about products? Then we'd value moral virtue.

The mantra seems to be 'Be moral...when it suits you.'

So what gives? Why bother teaching kids to be good at all? It's not like we value it.

We teach kids to be good so that they have a choice in life. You can submit to the harsh cruel world or you can use it. If you don't understand good, happy, honesty is what will you use it for?

 

[Rival]

We teach kids to be good so that they have a choice in life. You can submit to the harsh cruel world or you can use it. If you don't understand good, happy, honesty is what will you use it for?

The idea that a person can choose to be good or bad is a bit...uncomfortable. We should not really give choices. Being honest, fair and well-behaved shouldn't really be a choice. Making it a choice makes it sound as though it, well, actually is. Can you imagine if your employer decided it was his choice whether to be fair and pay you your entire wage, or just pay half?

 

[sayak83]

Yes but most parents aren't doing it for this reason.

Since when do people understand their own reasons for doing things?

Also the teaching of goodness is quite circumscribed. Children are primarily taught to behave themselves, look after themselves, take care of family (pets and siblings), be nice to strangers and be strongly competitive among peers (school and sports)... where one learns and masters the rules of the game and master it for one's own advantage. Is that not how the adult world works as well?

 

[Rival]

Since when do people understand their own reasons for doing things?

I should rather hope they do!

 

[sayak83]

I should rather hope they do!

I expanded my reply a bit. Please see.

 

[Stevicus]

Title seems a bit silly huh? Obviously we should. Or...wait...

All their young lives our children are taught to be honest, to be fair, to be moderate and kind. These along with a whole host of other moral virtues that our society says it values.

Until they grow up.

The world is a harsh, cruel place where it's first come first serve, you have to be ruthless, to lie, to cheat and do anything to get that job. It's tough out there you know (implying that everyone else is a soulless b*stard).

So really, our society doesn't value these morals so much. If at all. I'd go so far as to say it doesn't at all. I mean can you imagine if hiring employees was an ethical practice? If buying and selling were ethical? If adverts were honest about products? Then we'd value moral virtue.

The mantra seems to be 'Be moral...when it suits you.'

So what gives? Why bother teaching kids to be good at all? It's not like we value it.

I can see your point, although I don't think there's anything wrong with teaching kids to be good. I think the problems come in when a child is overly-sheltered or not given enough insight or useful information about the "real world" when it comes time to enter it. I think that's part of the problem younger people face, if they're too naive and unaware about the ways of the world when they go out into it.

I suppose another side of it is that a lot of it depends on how kids are taught to be "good." If their parents are good role models, then they'll learn by watching.

 

[Rival]

Since when do people understand their own reasons for doing things?

Also the teaching of goodness is quite circumscribed. Children are primarily taught to behave themselves, look after themselves, take care of family (pets and siblings), be nice to strangers and be strongly competitive among peers (school and sports)... where one learns and masters the rules of the game and master it for one's own advantage. Is that not how the adult world works as well?

I would have agreed at one point, but now it's all 'the taking part that counts' and 'everyone is a winner' crap (imo) that has superseded this.

 

[Terese]

What would be your opinion? Teach children that morality is a lost cause?

 

[Nakosis]

Title seems a bit silly huh? Obviously we should. Or...wait...

All their young lives our children are taught to be honest, to be fair, to be moderate and kind. These along with a whole host of other moral virtues that our society says it values.

Until they grow up.

The world is a harsh, cruel place where it's first come first serve, you have to be ruthless, to lie, to cheat and do anything to get that job. It's tough out there you know (implying that everyone else is a soulless b*stard).

So really, our society doesn't value these morals so much. If at all. I'd go so far as to say it doesn't at all. I mean can you imagine if hiring employees was an ethical practice? If buying and selling were ethical? If adverts were honest about products? Then we'd value moral virtue.

The mantra seems to be 'Be moral...when it suits you.'

So what gives? Why bother teaching kids to be good at all? It's not like we value it.

Being a moral relativist, being "good" is relative.

I teach my kids to be happy, and honestly that could be a bit dangerous since you might not know exactly what's going to make them happy.

I don't know about an afterlife, I know about this life. This maybe our only chance at existence. I figure folks should make the best they can of this life. If you can't find happiness here I don't know why you'd expect to be able to find happiness in a different life.

You teach them to be good so hopefully they'll be happy. I teach them to seek happiness and hope the "good" will come out along the way.

 

[LuisDantas]

Sounds like you are in frequent contact with some rough, unruly environments, @Rival

It is not always, or even necessarily often, like that.

We teach values because we want to believe that we are on the right side of moral virtue. And we often let go of those values mainly because we do not feel that our circunstances are fair.

There is a strong undercurrent of hope that somehow our offspring will manage to survive and thrive less tarnished than ourselves.

 

[Rival]

What would be your opinion? Teach children that morality is a lost cause?

Haha no, my take would be to say 'Morality is for life and it doesn't end once you finish school'. To be moral even when one feels 'pressured' by others.

 

[sayak83]

I would have agreed at one point, but now it's all 'the taking part that counts' crap (imo) that has superseded this.

What is this "taking part that count" thing. Remember I am from South Asia and educated in India. I have no idea what you are taking about. We are used to and implement a version of Asian parenting.

 

[Rival]

Being a moral relativist, being "good" is relative.

I teach my kids to be happy, and honestly that could be a bit dangerous since you might not know exactly what's going to make them happy.

I don't know about an afterlife, I know about this life. This maybe our only chance at existence. I figure folks should make the best they can of this life. If you can't find happiness here I don't know why you'd expect to be able to find happiness in a different life.

You teach them to be good so hopefully they'll be happy. I teach them to seek happiness and hope the "good" will come out along the way.

I would disagree with your implication that being moral would make one happy. In my experience, it is those good, honest, people who are walked over and trampled by the less than moral who have no qualms about how they will achieve their aims.

 

[Rival]

What is this "taking part that count" thing. Remember I am from South Asia and educated in India. I have no idea what you are taking about. We are used to and implement a version of Asian parenting.

All kids are rewarded whether they win or lose.

 

[Stevicus]

Sounds like you are in frequent contact with some rough, unruly environments, @Rival

Well, she hangs out here quite a bit.

 

[Nakosis]

What would be your opinion? Teach children that morality is a lost cause?

There's personal morals and there's group morals. Personal morals is what makes you happy. Group morals is what keeps the group happy.

Group morals may change depending on what group you're associating with. In business your morality is to support the company. Up to you to deal with it if it conflicts with your personal morals.