Here is a survey of youth ethics- Josephson Institute's 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth is based on a survey of nearly 30,000 students in high schools across the U.S. The results paint a troubling picture of our future politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals. STEALING. In bad news for business, more than one in three boys (35 percent) and one-fourth of the girls (26 percent) — a total of 30 percent overall — admitted stealing from a store within the past year. In 2006 the overall theft rate was 28 percent (32 percent males, 23 percent females). • Students who attend private secular and religious schools were less likely to steal, but still the theft rate among non-religious independent school students was more than one in five (21 percent) while 19 percent who attend religious schools also admitted stealing something from a store in the past year. • Honors students (21 percent), student leaders (24 percent), and students involved in youth activities like the YMCA and school service clubs (27 percent) were less likely to steal, but still more than one in five committed theft. • Twenty-three percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative (the same as 2006) and 20 percent confessed they stole something from a friend. Boys were nearly twice as likely to steal from a friend as girls (26 percent to 14 percent). LYING. More than two of five (42 percent) said that they sometimes lie to save money. Again, the male-female difference was significant: 49 percent of the males, 36 percent of the females. In 2006, 39 percent said they lied to save money (47 percent males, 31 percent females). • Thirty-nine percent of students in private religious schools admitted to lying as did 35 percent of the students attending private non-religious schools. • More than eight in ten students (83 percent) from public schools and religious private schools confessed they lied to a parent about something significant. Students attending non-religious independent schools were somewhat less likely to lie to parents (78 percent). CHEATING. Cheating in school continues to be rampant and it’s getting worse. A substantial majority (64 percent) cheated on a test during the past year (38 percent did so two or more times), up from 60 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in 2006. There were no gender differences on the issue of cheating on exams. • Students attending non-religious independent schools reported the lowest cheating rate (47 percent) while 63 percent of students from religious schools cheated. • Responses about cheating show some geographic disparity: Seventy percent of the students residing in the southeastern U.S. admitted to cheating, compared to 64 percent in the west, 63 percent in the northeast, and 59 percent in the midwest. • More than one in three (36 percent) said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment. In 2006 the figure was 33 percent. As bad as these numbers are, it appears they understate the level of dishonesty exhibited by America’s youth. More than one in four (26 percent) confessed they lied on at least one or two questions on the survey. Experts agree that dishonesty on surveys usually is an attempt to conceal misconduct. Despite these high levels of dishonesty, the respondents have a high self-image when it comes to ethics. A whopping 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know. link I see this as America's future. The future of politics, economics, national security, families, religion, education, every significant area of our culture depends on the ethics of the next generation. Finding it acceptable to lie, steal and cheat and at the same time believing you are a good person with good morals is the ultimate hypocrisy. I saw a video of interviews with people who claimed to be satisfied with their personal ethics and good character and believed they were good people better than most others- the video was shot in prisons with hardened repeat offenders being interviewed. Things like this I believe are dismissed and under valued as a basis for our future success as a culture and nation. It doesn't really matter how you get there- parents, education, religion etc, but the lack of basic character is a deteriorating problem in American Culture. We have a whole generation of future citizens who think selfishly, are willing to compromise basic ethics and will be depended upon to get us through possibly very difficult economic challenges. I think Jesus said it this way- hypocrites are like blind people leading people into ditches. Are our youth that hypocritical? I am finding this in so called Christian groups more and more. Where there are religious acts such as going to church, helping the poor and being nice to people; the same people admit to me their ethics are no different than the non-religious. I almost expect politicians to lie. I am not surprised to find out a religious leader lied. Educators tell me they lie and cheat to get graduation rates higher. I am really troubled that I see this as a trend in church attendees. How are we going to face the economic and global challenges ahead with a generation moving away from good moral character and strong ethical courage?
I'm not sure that's a great gauge of anything. I did all three of those by the time/while I was in HS. Not on a regular basis, mind you, but I've done those acts. Does that make me a horrid person? No. Why? Because I've learned better. Kids are young and dumb. It's the definition of being a kid. It's the maturing and learning better of ourselves that makes us adults. But I also have a feeling that most of these kids who are answering "yes" to these questions do it on a regular basis. That's what troubles me.
I agree with you, my opinion and the thing that does trouble me is how much it seems to be more acceptable and expected. I don't think this proves that young adults are habitual liars and cheats, but I find it in my own experience that it is much more expected- and especially in difficult circumstances. Along the topic of ethics, whatever your moral belief I recently had this experience. A young lady in our church told me she wasn't a virgin and not to tell anyone, (she is college age) That might not seem at all like a big deal, but it is what else she said that bothered me... quoting " that's just the way it is today, nobody is a virgin" Fine, except I wondered how she came to that mindset?
If a bunch of people know the same group of louts, this can actually work. You just can't have the "better" group of 77% knowing one another.
People have been lying and cheating and stealing forever. Is there a decline in our overall values, maybe, but lying and cheating and stealing are as old as the Bible. My concern about future leadership as well as current, and i think this has really come to fruition with our current economic state, is that my generation and even the generation before has never really had to sacrafice. We have never really experienced any real strife for lack of a better term. This sense of entitlement and times will always be good and wealth and progress will always move forward have led us to the situation in our economy.
I agree there will always be liars and cheats. But in successful, industrious and prosperous nations isn't there a need for an ethical culture? There always will be 'no good low life' so to speak, but what if your society begins to decline? When lying and cheating is accepted what kind of productivity is there in the workforce? How do business leaders view employees? What happens to marriages and relationships? How are children raised? It may be a cop out to say there have always been bad people in America, but I would argue that our culture and society has been shifting dramatically away from ethical behavior. There really was a time alot of people could trust Americans, go on a handshake and a person's word was their bond. I certainly have my own opinion and perspective, but I think that parenting, education and society share significant input into young people and the less moral or ethical the culture the more young people develop bad character and make really bad decisions.
rhester I don't mean to be a jerk, but this is really a pet peeve of mine when people start talking about how great things used to be. You are focusing on the good and leaving out the bad, just like you are focusing on the bad things of our generation and leaving out the good. the grass is always greener.
Actually I was thinking of when I grew up. I wasn't thinking in terms of racial issues or child labor. Just ethical behavior. For instance, I grew up in a Mexican culture and it was ethical. We never considered lying and stealing as OK at all. My grandparents could barely speak any English but I never knew they would lie or steal or condone it. In our Hispanic Culture it was very un-Catholic to lie. Point of the thread for me was that it is a trend. It is something new- honesty is not the best policy so to speak. Maybe politicians have always lied but now I expect it. I never expected ministers to swindle people out of money growing up and I wasn't religious, but it happens often today. I think there is a very significant trend in America away from ethical behavior.
I may have misudnerstood your post, but on this point I still disagree. We romanticize history. Also, I think people are a little more honest about their disgressions now a days. Posting on a basketball message board is a perfect example. People romanticize Babe Ruth for instance. In those days womanizing and drunkeness would have never hit the papers. Now, if Stephon Marbury yells at a cashier at McDonalds, its on espn.com's front page.
It seems to me that our society promotes an either/or approach. Either you can be an honest, ethical person who puts others first or you can be dishonest, cutthroat and successful. In reality, honesty and putting others first is necessary for success. (No one wants to do business with a creep.) I don't know how we do it, but we need to start promoting honesty and ethics. I do know one thing we should do: we should start letting people fail.
No, I believe you are right about that, but I also think you can look at the culture of our society and see trends. For example, would you be surprised today if a former President of the US was caught having extra marital sexual encounters while his wife served as secretary of state? (no, and I don't think that will happen) Now, here is my point, the nation would not be shocked. But other former presidents might have done the same, but I really believe that 30 years ago there would have been public bi-partison outrage over such actions. (Just look at Watergate.) Bush lied. Big deal, that is the kind of move away from ethics I am discussing. If you think we have always been this way as a culture I must have grown up in a different kind of town and had a very naive perception. I am still shocked by what I hear at church.
last thing I'm not anti learning from the past and learning from elders. I'm for being honest about our elders and their virtues and their flaws. We are a more tolerant people than our elders which can be good and bad. We are smarter than our elders. But in a lot of ways we are dumber. You have to factor in the good with the bad.
I think people honestly beleive that their has to be SOME LEVEL of Deceipt/dishonesty/corruption for society to function what that level is . .. is debatable Rocket River
I certainly agree pgabriel our nation has a history of scandal, as all nations do. But they were scandelous revelations, shocking.. Question: Are our ethics declining in general?
QUESTION: What do you have. . . when you tolerate the intolerable? Morals are center polls. . . I argue with people all the time Morals should NOT be situational dependent They are. . or they are not Rocket River
I'd like for any public school teachers to weigh in on this. Especially if they have taught over 30 years. I had known teacher a who told me he quit teaching for reason of the change in ethical standards in the classroom and the lack of admin support. I would be very curious if there are public school teachers who see any trend over at least 10-20 yrs.
