Values in our world have eroded, and no one seems to know exactly why!
Values and integrity are big words today. They should be. Somebody has overwhelmingly neglected to teach crucial moral values, which are so imperative to balance our society. Since these disciplines have not been taught, our whole country reels with the burden of people in leadership who make unwise decisions and use craftiness, lying, and cheating to further their agendas. And you and I are the losers.
Who is at fault? Fingers point in various directions. Some say that business schools are at fault; others think high schools or–a lack of early training. The conclusion is that for trust to be reestablished, moral principles must be taught.
Some lay the fault on business educators. These leaders have had a wake up call. Dr. Peggy Cunningham, director of a School of Business at Dalhousie University, Canada, was quoted as saying, “Business schools have to take a very hard look at themselves to see the kind of people we are graduating…in terms of the models we use.” She advocates restructuring programs around a core of responsible leadership. Many business college classifieds now highlight words such as “integrity and ethical business management.”
Are high schools at fault? Certain schools claim they have no time to teach values, and it’s not their place to do so. Just whose values would they teach, they ask? Other schools realize that both academics and morals are necessary and have intermingled the two. Consistency is lacking, however, and sometimes students aren’t even reprimanded when they make unethical choices such as cheating on exams.
Does the fault lie with families? The truth is that good moral character traits are not developed in a month’s time, or even a year, but over a lifetime. Moral traits originated with God’s principles (although some may not want to acknowledge this truth). The training of children in godly values has declined, which has regretfully brought about our moral downfall. [The dilemma of children who are not trained in godly values inspired me to write a guidance book for parents entitled Kid Help, (Parents Taking Control). In the book, parents are given guidance to train young children in godly values such as obedience, honor, truthfulness, personal responsibility, and hard work.]
The foundation for morals is first laid in the soil of young hearts, and our children must be taught by example to make good choices every day.
Integrity is not welcomed among the worldly values. Children who are untrained in godly principles, who are unable to separate right from wrong, are caught up in the world’s standards. A foundation in godly truths will be able to withstand the pressures from our world’s system as parents guide their children around risky moral roadblocks.
Who’s at fault? Television, news, and our own experiences reveal how the failure to teach godly principles has disarmed our world’s system of integrity. Children and adults must know that lying, cheating, and unwise choices bring about severe consequences. Parents, teachers, and business leaders must all work together to enforce individual accountability for wrong decisions before trust can be restored.
(Quotes and thoughts on this topic are from Competence without Character is our Greatest Threat by Ms Tammy Toso, MA & Patrick Toffler, COL US Army)
Florence Simmons is an author and hosts www.common-sensewisdom.com
Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org
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