Moral Depravity: Meaning, Causes & Disadvantages

Morality is an innate understanding of what is good and wrong in your own and other people’s behavior.

Based on your own unique life experiences, you could establish a moral code. This is the opposite of moral depravity, which willfully violates such moral codes. 

This article explores what moral depravity is, examples of moral depravity, some of its causes, and the negative effects it has on society. 

What is the meaning of moral depravity?

Moral depravity can be defined as the willful violation of customs, morals, or values which leads to a change in personality.

You can also define it as being deliberately immoral (antisocial psychopathy) or deviating from a path of morality. 

People who suffer moral depravity tend to prioritize their interests, pleasures, and desires above every other person’s own.

They would also achieve these goals at the detriment of others regardless of its causes others misery and discomfort. 

What are some examples of moral depravity?

Common examples of moral depravity include acts of intentional cruelty like torture, making people starve, rape, or child abuse.

It can also involve killing people for sport and disrespecting the beliefs of others just to make a point. 

MORAL DEPRAVITY - LMSHERO

Technically, anything that causes others harm or violates certain moral ethics set by society just to achieve pleasure or make a statement is moral depravity. Other examples of moral depravity include;

  • Manipulation of others for your benefit
  • Animal cruelty

What are the causes of moral depravity?

Common factors that lead to moral degeneracy include a lack of moral values, ignorance, temptation, poverty, peer pressure, and personal issues like family and cultural issues. 

This condition also occurs as a result of environmental factors including child abuse as well as genetic factors. People who have dysfunctional or alcoholic parents are more vulnerable. 

Intrapersonal elements also influence moral degeneracy, including cognitive shifts, emotional changes, and even neurodevelopment.

Teenagers are particularly susceptible to these issues because of mass media, peer pressure, technology, globalization, and a lack of parental support.

Other causes might be due to:

  • Self-righteousness
  • Lack of self-honesty
  • Lack of conscience
  • Tribalism
  • Spirituality or Intellectual laziness
  • Religious fanatism (both theist and atheist)
  • Over-population (racism and xenophobia).

Disadvantages of moral depravity 

Moral depravity or degeneracy leads to a rise in criminal activities and the degeneration of society. 

Violence, injustice, discrimination, sexual harassment, and fairness are all issues that a morally degenerate society will no longer be sensitive to. In most cases, it results in antisocial psychopathy.

How do you fix moral depravity?

Parents must use Biblical principles in raising their children if the rising moral degeneration in our culture is to be stopped.

An increase in the move for censoring the information being broadcast over the media, such as movies, music, etc., must also occur.

Governments must stand on their toes, and religious bodies must be up and doing. In addition to providing information, parents and schools must also monitor what their kids are exposed to behind closed doors. 

This is essential to stop young people from being exposed to obscene content and emulating crimes they see in movies, among other damaging things.

FAQs

Where do you get morality from?

Morality is primarily acquired through socializing. This may include how you interact with everything you come into contact with in your environments like family, schools, religious organizations, etc.

Is moral depravity the same as corruption? 

Yes, corruption is also a form of moral depravity as someone corrupt behaves in a morally wrong way. This includes using illegal, violent, or dishonest means to achieve money, pleasure, or power.

What are examples of moral crimes?

Prostitution, the sale, use, or possession of illegal substances, begging, and vagabondism are a few examples.

These actions violate society’s moral standards, recognized ideals, and conduct codes. They might also involve offenses related to prostitution, pornography, and homosexuality.

Conclusion

The opposite of being virtuous, you can also term moral depravity as delinquency or degeneracy. A society that records an increase in morally depraved citizens will also increase crime, corruption, and destruction. 

However, certain measures can be taken to curb immorality. This includes the proper censoring of content deemed by societal standards to be immoral and the proper orientation of kids on moral values. 

Children properly raised with high moral values do not easily get influenced by immorality or succumb to peer pressure. Here is all you need to know about developing high moral standards and their importance. 

I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.