“Cum finis est licitus, etiam media sunt lictia” is the Latin for “the end justifies the means”. No. It doesn’t and must not be sanctioned with acceptance. If the end is ignoble no means are justifiable. The acceptance of the idiom will mean that when the end is permitted, the means also stand permitted.
If procuring great happiness for highest number of people is the motive, it doesn’t mean that immoral action (means) is allowed. No expediency of any sorts can be a tool to sacrifice morals. T. S. Eliot put it aptly: “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
As a corollary to my thought, I am tempted to use words of Aldous Huxley, where he says, “The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced “.
The difference between a moral man and a man of honour is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught. “Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it” (Alice in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll). Moral standards are not to be confused as statements for stagnation of society, instead the standard must be perceived as statement of immortality. Truth cannot ever be a negative quality.
Morality is a feel-good factor and immorality renders to the soul a feel bad factor, post, an act, deed or spoken word. Smile dances upon morality while frown frocks immorality. Moral standards are meant to subjugate the base and animal instincts man possess.
Moral values are shaped by cultural, societal, religious and universal principles of good behaviour, inclusive of ethics, forbearance, tolerance and justice. These moral standards serve as a beacon of light to guide individuals in the dark maze of life, in making a proper estimation of what is right and what is not. The results of this determination serve to influence our thoughts, behaviour and conduct.
“Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.” (Bertrand Russell).
The essential principles of moral standards, upon which hinges the entire edifice of human behaviour, include presence of unimpeachable integrity and honesty, uncompromising respect for human life and above all unflinching faith in the divine mechanism of retribution relating to responsibility and accountability. I grew up in a regimented Roman Catholic environment at school, where morals as a subject was emphasised.
At the end of each class, a narration of moral behaviour was part of the routine. The indoctrination of values has to be done during the period when minds are free of pollution and distortions; and are soft sponges to absorb the instillation of the criterion and discernment faculty of selecting between what is good, right and what is not, and is wrong.
In the world of philosophy, the study of ethics or moral principles deals with effect upon human behaviour of universally accepted principles, customs and traditions.
The behaviour code of a society is dependent upon individuals having a defined and strict moral compass. It is not merely a concept but a method of leading life, with guiding principles of moral values, obligations and of making decisions in life based on the ideals of purpose and need. We are blessed as a Nation to be an Islamic country. We have the Code and the Compass. But are we in adherence?
Chris Drew, a Professor by profession, in a paper on moral values has an appendix to it titled A to Z of moral values; of these I would highlight the following: Benev olence, compassion, courage, dignity, forgiveness, generosity, honest, integrity, justice, kindness, mercy, responsibility, toleranc e, trust and wisdom. Reading the list, I wondered if he was giving the definition of a Muslim as seen through the lens of the Holy Book.
At the University of Oxford, anthropologists have discovered what they believe to be seven universal values. The rules are: help your family, return favours, be brave, defer to superiors, divide resources fairly, and respect others’ property. Dr. Oliver Scott Curry, senior researcher at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolu tionary Anthropology, said: “As predicted, these seven moral principles appear to be universal across cultures. Everyone everywhere shares a common moral code. All agree that cooperating, promoting the common good, is the right thing to do.”
Moral philosophy has existed over a thousand years — it keeps on growing and evolving, with each era of human history. Its foundations are strongly entrenched, based on experience, relating to morality, values, ethics and the many obligations that sprout from these pillars of thought.
This formidable, yet delicate, fabric of morality and moral being continues to being torn to shreds by the Israeli army in Gaza. Human morality has become a utopia — it is today buried in the cemetery, called Gaza; alongside women, innocent and raped; men, brave and tortured and children shocked and starved. The hands of the dial of the moral compass are broken and detached — these lie splintered and mutilated in form and dug deeply into the heart of the Gazans.
To protect sanity and mental well-being, I decided about three months back to abandon the long established habit of watching with keen interest political talk shows. These have not only becoming boring but were also sporting the same spent bullets on a regular basis, as guests and experts—invariably all would express about the future, as if the book of human wisdom lay revealed upon their hearts. The contents of the programme of late are toxic and the guests, more toxic. To expect morality from seasoned positions is to expect the rising of the Sun from not the west but South!
Slumping after day’s work before the idiotbox (TV) I began to watch some local drama serials. Little did I know what cultural shock I was to receive. There are at least three serials which are stated to be purely family dramas but not in the traditions of Haseena Moin’s, or of the quality of Parchayian, Aangan Terra, etc. These are of present day and age.
The scripts and playwright have contents that are socially obnoxious. The dialogues rarely meet the moral standards of our society, culture and traditions. Brazenness in speech is the hallmark of humility and politeness it appears. The plots of each are one of rebellion by off-springs against parents.
The rebuke and disdain in conversations with parents and elders is pronounced. The youth falling into waywardness is prominent — in fact, sometimes it is glorified to actually make the impressionable age viewers to get tempted to enact the scenes in real life. At the drop of hat, children are seen threatening parents to leave their parental abodes.
In every of those dramas, the attempted suicide on trivial issues is a high climax point. Are we selling suicide as a panacea for ills of life? Why so much screen space is being given to suicide scenes? Is it glorification or a sign of courage? What exactly is the message?
The ennoblement of seeking relationships outside the ambit of religious and societal limitations is rampant; if for a moment, it was to be accepted as a happening thing in the society, what is the rate of incidence? Negligible. By projection with glamour and magnification, aren’t we giving it a traction — an open invitation.
From the decade of the 1980s and later, we have progressed. But is progress a reason to abandon the standards of morality, which are meant to be linchpin for the growth of society? The race to become wealthy without corresponding hard work or honesty is projected.
“There can be no civility without a deep morality, though it may not always call itself by that name” and, “The evolution of a highly destined society must be moral; it must run in the grooves of the celestial wheels” ( Ralph Walton Emerson).
As hapless citizens we are caught between the toxic political talk shows and the despicable contents of several dramas. How much can we force people to watch National Geographic or Animal Planet? The impelling question is why this slide into moral degradation? Why is the immoral behaviour being given a status and exaltation? This must cease.
All sections of society must play a role to recover our traditions of morality and nobility. Progress is being confused with liberation from cultural standards of moral behaviour. Let there be rejuvenation of our unique standards of noble behaviour.
“The nation’s morals are like its teeth: the more decayed the more it hurts to touch them” (George Bernard Shaw).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Contributor
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