As technology advances in conjunction with society, so do the social norms adopted by its members. This concept is readily seen in the growing acceptance and prevalence of dishonesty in modern America. Although multiple factors are culpable for this growth, the remarkable advancements in communication over the last decade alone have provided a platform for deceit like never before. A new scandal is depicted in the media every day, each story more unethical than the last. Students have begun to cheat using all forms of technology, even being so bold as to discreetly read answers from their cell phones during exams. Internet security has grown to be one of the most rampant issues facing our country, with thousands of people falling susceptible
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People no longer consider themselves to be outright lying, but merely adapting the truth. Since this behavior is the result of acting on precedent, dishonesty is no longer coupled with guilt; our society has come to rely on deception as a valid measure of advancing one’s interests. Dishonesty is undeniably on the rise in American society, and will continue to be perpetuated so long as our skewed morals and heightened technology remain intact.
The growing influence of the media has aided immensely in humanity’s fascination with deceit. Author Ralph Keyes explores the extensive role of social broadcasting in his novel The Post-Truth Era, claiming that “at the very least we’re intrigued by the subject” (9), and therefore seek out its instances. As has been evidenced through countless scandals, “[b]eing notoriously deceitful can make the deceiver famous, a celebrity even. On our media driven scale of values, celebrity trumps honesty” (18). Similarly, the accessibility of information on the Internet and in the …show more content…
We as a race now have more forms of networking than ever before, which has provided a consequent shift in the manner we behave socially and morally. The influence of the media has been profoundly impactful in amplifying dishonesty in society, as all scandals and instances of deviation from integrity can now be read about on thousands of sites online, viewed on multiple TV channels, or even displayed on one of the infinite, colorful tabloid magazines that line our grocery aisles. In extreme cases, as people compete in the search for celebrity, dishonesty will seem like a more beneficial characteristic than morality, as so many of our modern day stars yielded their fame from some version of a scandal. Furthermore, as our society has come to expect deception, we too have sought reasons to justify its presence. Lying is no longer considered lying; rather, we have begun to utilize countless euphemisms to detract from the severity of our dishonesty. It is evident that deception is growing not only in severity, but frequency. The routinization of dishonesty is a trait our society is much too familiar with, and it is of crucial importance that we strive to break this dependency, in order to maintain the moral values that were once instilled in
People no longer consider themselves to be outright lying, but merely adapting the truth. Since this behavior is the result of acting on precedent, dishonesty is no longer coupled with guilt; our society has come to rely on deception as a valid measure of advancing one’s interests. Dishonesty is undeniably on the rise in American society, and will continue to be perpetuated so long as our skewed morals and heightened technology remain intact.
The growing influence of the media has aided immensely in humanity’s fascination with deceit. Author Ralph Keyes explores the extensive role of social broadcasting in his novel The Post-Truth Era, claiming that “at the very least we’re intrigued by the subject” (9), and therefore seek out its instances. As has been evidenced through countless scandals, “[b]eing notoriously deceitful can make the deceiver famous, a celebrity even. On our media driven scale of values, celebrity trumps honesty” (18). Similarly, the accessibility of information on the Internet and in the …show more content…
We as a race now have more forms of networking than ever before, which has provided a consequent shift in the manner we behave socially and morally. The influence of the media has been profoundly impactful in amplifying dishonesty in society, as all scandals and instances of deviation from integrity can now be read about on thousands of sites online, viewed on multiple TV channels, or even displayed on one of the infinite, colorful tabloid magazines that line our grocery aisles. In extreme cases, as people compete in the search for celebrity, dishonesty will seem like a more beneficial characteristic than morality, as so many of our modern day stars yielded their fame from some version of a scandal. Furthermore, as our society has come to expect deception, we too have sought reasons to justify its presence. Lying is no longer considered lying; rather, we have begun to utilize countless euphemisms to detract from the severity of our dishonesty. It is evident that deception is growing not only in severity, but frequency. The routinization of dishonesty is a trait our society is much too familiar with, and it is of crucial importance that we strive to break this dependency, in order to maintain the moral values that were once instilled in