In the present lifestyle, the measure of success lies only in property, luxurious houses, branded clothes and cars. If a person is financially capable, he is automatically considered “successful” in his society, even if that success is due to dishonesty, deceit, exploitation or moral degradation. The notion that “the end is everything, the means are not important” is now becoming common. This ideology has left moral values like honesty, integrity, compassion and duty far behind.
Today’s society is a victim of individualism where “I” is primary, “we” has no special importance. This egocentrism is visible in every field – from urban planning to family structure. The number of common places, playgrounds, libraries and public chaupals is decreasing in big cities. People are getting disconnected from each other, communication is becoming limited and social bonding is limited to digital networks only. Even festivals and family events have now become “photo-ops”, whose main purpose is to show on social media, not to share any kind of real intimacy.
In this blind race of materialism, immediate pleasure is being given priority over long-term well-being. The sense of restraint, discipline and austerity is getting weakened. Through social media, consumer goods and market propaganda, it has been established that maximum consumption is synonymous with happiness. People have become so engrossed in instant satisfaction that tendencies like self-restraint, introspection and long-term perspective seem ridiculous.
Ethics has no place in consumption decisions. The story behind what we wear, eat or consume—whether it is environmental damage or worker exploitation—does not affect us. For example, the fast fashion industry is still flourishing even though we all know how it involves cheap labour and exploitation of environmental resources. Ethical consumerism is still confined to a limited section of society.
The result of this thinking is that moral values in society are rapidly eroding. People now consider results to be everything—no matter how opaque or unethical the process of achieving that result may be. This trend is not limited to individual life, but is seen in every institution like the corporate world, politics, education, medicine, and media. When the hunger for profit crosses ethical boundaries, corporate scandals are born, the integrity of leaders comes under suspicion, and business dominates the sanctity of education.
The decline of moral values is not just institutional—empathy and compassion are diminishing at the individual level as well. Today’s man is so immersed in the fulfillment of his goals that he has no concern for the suffering of his neighbor, neglect of the elderly, or mental health problems. This insensitivity is gradually turning society into a group of individuals who are lonely even when they live together, and between whom there is no intimacy, but only a relationship of utility.
At the same time, moral relativism has also increased. Things that were previously considered clearly right or wrong are now considered appropriate or inappropriate depending on the circumstances. Cheating in exams, lying at work, paying bribes to get work done—these are now considered “part of the system.” The idea that “If everyone is doing it, why can’t I?” is a sign of a collective moral decline.
All this is dangerous not only from a social point of view but also from an environmental point of view. When the aim of life becomes only more and more consumption, exploitation of resources becomes inevitable. Climate change, water crisis, loss of biodiversity—all these are the ill-effects of this misleading definition of a “good life”. It is ironic that we are trying to live a life that is making the future of the earth dark.
The situation today is that morality has now become a mere tool for branding. Big companies and organizations try to whitewash their image by organizing some events in the name of “corporate social responsibility”, but no change takes place at the ground level. This “superficial morality” not only deceives the society but also gives rise to self-deception.
If we are to reverse this decline and move towards a balanced, compassionate and ethical society, we must redefine the concept of the “good life”. Success in life must be linked not just to wealth and prestige, but to purpose, virtue, empathy and the common good. Some traditional philosophies—such as Buddhism, Gandhism and the Jain approach—offer important clues in this direction. These traditions consider inner balance, non-possession, and ethical discipline as the basis for success in life.
A good life is one that is lived not just for oneself, but also for others. It involves community cooperation, environmental sensitivity and self-restraint. Where we consume responsibly—thinking about how our decisions will affect others, nature and future generations. Campaigns like “LiFE” (Lifestyle for Environment) launched by the government are a positive effort in this direction, but they will have an impact only when they reach every section of society with a moral consciousness.
Education also has a central role in this process. The New Education Policy 2020 has talked about prioritizing moral and life skills education, which is a welcome step. If we introduce children to values like empathy, duty, truth and justice at the elementary level, a generation can be prepared that can internalize a broad and inclusive definition of a “good life”.
Ultimately, the meaning of life is not just in living, but in living rightly. And living rightly is not just in material success, but in a balance where the soul is at peace, society is healthy and the earth is protected. If we learn to live like this, perhaps we can create a better future not just for ourselves, but for all of humanity.
Author is a freelance journalist. He can be mailed at satywansaurabh333@gmail.com
