Transformation of Conscience and Values in Society: Spiritual Emptiness of Youth
In today's society, we see that conscience and social values are eroding, and especially among young people, the commitment to these values is weakening. Many people now interpret doing good or showing mercy as a weakness. This change creates deep wounds in both individual relationships and the functioning of the social order. So, what are the underlying reasons for this change and how can we reverse this trend?
Spiritual Deprivation and Social Erosion
The spiritual void observed among young people today is not only an individual problem; it is a social reflection. In the past, the spiritual values that formed the cornerstones of a society were protected and kept alive by the collective consciousness and conscience of the society. However, today these shared values are gradually disappearing. Young people have difficulty finding an environment where they can feel safe and where they can receive moral or spiritual guidance. The inadequacy of families, schools, and even society itself in this regard leads to young people becoming isolated and feeling inner emptiness.
At this point, we see that not only the youth but all segments of society are indifferent to values and conscience. This erosion of conscience, which has become a social problem, is deepening even more as being a good person and behaving virtuously are no longer praised values. While concepts such as compassion, empathy and truth were fundamental values widely accepted by society in the past, today these concepts can be perceived as a sign of weakness. Virtues such as doing good, defending the right or honesty are seen as "missing an opportunity" or "being a sucker".
How Small Evils Turn Into Big Evils
One of the most important reasons why evils in society grow and take root is the failure to intervene in small evils in time. Small injustices and injustices are often ignored and normalized, and this situation becomes the harbinger of bigger evils. As young people see that these small evils are not met with a response, they grow up in an environment where evil goes unpunished and goodness is devalued. In a society where goodness is ignored or belittled, a tendency towards crime and a lack of empathy spread rapidly. Remaining silent against small-scale evils causes these evils to grow over time and the consciences of young people to become dull.
In this context, the increase in the tendency towards crime and the tendency to easily hurt people in young people is not only an individual weakness but also a social result. In an environment where discipline and justice are not applied even in small incidents, young people find more courage to commit crimes. Failure to respond appropriately to small mistakes disrupts the development of conscience in young people. This situation opens the way to great evils; violence, crime and lack of empathy spread rapidly in society.
Insecurity and Lack of Role Models
Young people are having difficulty finding role models they can trust, as they did in the past. Individuals who once set an example in society are no longer "ideal" in the eyes of young people. One of the reasons for this is the moral collapse that is often seen in different segments of society and the inconsistency between what people in leadership positions say and what they do. Young people look at the behavior of adults around them and ask, "If goodness is so devalued, why should I be good?"
The answers given to this question explain the current state of society. Young people who are oppressed by disciplinary punishments in schools, who are not listened to enough by their families or who cannot establish meaningful dialogue with their environment become emotionally isolated. Lack of communication, lack of trust and lack of empathy cause young people to distance themselves from spiritual values and have difficulty in making sense of their own identities. This void gives way to temporary pleasures received from outside or wrong orientations that provide short-term satisfaction. The biggest problem seen here is the lack of a social structure that can make sense of this void and guide them.
The Role of Communities: The Challenges of Well-Being
Staying good and being conscientious is often not an easy path. Especially if the individual is not a part of a community that has these virtues. People are deeply affected by the communities they are in. Conscientious and moral communities help individuals internalize these values, while in environments where social pressure is strong, moral values can be ignored. Young people have a hard time maintaining these virtues in a society where being conscientious is seen as a “fool” or “unnecessary.”
Today, in many segments of society, “doing good” or “showing mercy” is seen as a luxury. However, this perception leads both society and young people to a dangerous path. Because losing goodness, mercy or conscience makes interpersonal relationships superficial, self-serving and insecure. As society loses its values, individuals find themselves in a lonely, insecure and goalless life.
At this point, there is a great need for young people and the rest of society to develop the ability to be conscientious, to show empathy and to establish healthy relationships within the community. These abilities will make a huge difference not only at the individual level but also at the societal level.
The Legacy to be Passed on to the Future: Conscience
Today, it is the responsibility of all of us to rebuild the lost values and pass them on to future generations. Being conscientious is not only a virtue, but also the most basic source of life for a society. If we, as a society, lose our conscience, we also face the risk of losing human dignity.
At this point, what needs to be done is to take individual responsibility and strengthen these values both in ourselves and in our environment. Showing conscientious behavior, even if it is small, in the family, at school, at work or in daily life can ensure that these virtues spread to society. Because social change begins with small but continuous individual steps.
Filling the existing spiritual void and providing them with the right role models is the greatest contribution to the future of society. It should not be forgotten that when goodness and conscience are lost, social decay begins. Therefore, it is an important responsibility of ours to keep conscience and compassion alive and to leave these virtues as a legacy to future generations.
This article was prepared as a result of the discussions held by the 11 commission members who attended the Young Conscience Meeting dated 10.10.2024.
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