social identity and moral responsiblity

Social Identity and Moral Responsibility

Damon Land

 

I think the majority of our identity comes from our society, while only a small portion of our identity is due to us defining ourselves. I feel that society begins to mold and shape our behaviors and mindsets long before we even think or know about our personal identities. From a young age, our school and parents teach put in our heads way that we should and shouldn’t act. Those behaviors that are taught to us are those desirable of society. I feel it’s not until we are older are we able to understand the ability to define ourselves. An example of something from my social environment is that school is the way to success. When people generally do not have a specific goal, there is always that path of school to fall back or to be there as the primary path. However, an example of something from my own choice is my beliefs. Though you are shaped one way, your mindset is affected by experiences that you encounter during your lifetime.

In the regards to moral responsibility, I feel that the whole idea is based on the person. Morals are based on person and if one person can honestly say they don’t feel morally wrong for not helping someone that is dying, regardless of the relationship, then technically they are not responsible for them. People can often justify things to themselves in order to make them feel like they aren’t morally incorrect, a sort of manipulation; sort of the same way people can justify helping someone. One could say “it is right to help so and so because they did this for me and this as well,” while someone else in the exact same situation can say “well that person did this for me, but I think it was for their own benefit not mine, so why should I help them if it doesn’t benefit me?”  At the end of the day, I feel moral responsibility is about how you feel. If you won’t feel guilty about not helping someone, you probably won’t help them. If you would feel guilty about not helping, then most likely you would help that person.