By moral values they mean everything that people are especially expensive and necessary for life. In essence, moral values are views, feelings, interests, ideas, thoughts and phenomena. Each person has their own personal value system. That is, each of us builds the so-called "pyramid of values", which fully reflects the inner world of the individual.
Are there eternal values?
Throughout the long history of mankind, there have been many diverse ideals. Many of them have not lost their relevance even after many millennia and have survived to this day. Biblical moral standards such as “do not kill”, “do not steal”, “do not envy”, “do not lie” will live forever. For all ages, people have strictly condemned meanness, malice, betrayal, and slander. For most people, moral values are honesty, courage, modesty, kindness, and self-control.
A very important moral ideal remains humanity or humanism. This naturally does not mean that you need to embrace all people. A humane attitude to a person is achieved only through compliance with the norms and principles of morality. This means that you need to be tolerant of other people, forgive their shortcomings, be merciful, sometimes even sacrificing your interests.
If you are told: “Describe moral values,” you will probably also recall patriotism, industriousness, responsibility, and justice. All these moral standards play an important role in human life. Both good and bad qualities are mixed in each of us, but the most valuable moral characteristics allow us to create a kind of generalized image of a morally ideal person.
Moral values: examples
Despite the fact that a morally perfect person does not exist, the image of a morally ideal person is an example to follow. Such an embodiment is reflected in many religious and artistic images. It is enough to recall Jesus Christ, Don Quixote, Prince Myshkin, Ilya of Muromets.
In addition to the image of a morally ideal person, there are characteristics of a morally perfect society. Such a society was described in philosophical and literary utopias (T. Campanella, “City of the Sun”, T. More, “A Book about the Island of Utopia” and other works).
Moral values are certain principles that a person is not able to violate under any circumstances. Summarizing this concept, we can say that the moral ideal is the good that a person desires for himself and others. Good and evil are the main criteria in determining moral values. It is also worth noting that the moral principles of all people are quite similar and are instilled from birth (gradually). But in any case, knowledge alone about what is “good” and “evil” is not enough.
As a rule, even the most fallen individuals always try to justify their actions. For example, take this situation: a thief knows perfectly well that theft is evil, but at the same time he does not want to be considered bad in front of others. In order not to be considered a villain, he begins to talk about the fact that all his thefts were for the good of society, since he stole from a man who at one time had also acquired property illegally. Although from a moral point of view, he still did a bad deed.
The conclusion suggests itself: moral values are only what is expressed not in words, but in actions. We all know that stealing is bad, but some of us are ready to step over moral principles. Therefore, it is important not only to build a system of moral values, but also to prove one’s moral convictions with good deeds.