Every generation thinks it’s witnessing humanity’s moral collapse

Food for thought! Us versus them! Familiarity versus unfamiliarity.

What is feeding the daily barrage of all kinds of crisis news?

"Moral panic and pessimism appear to be largely illusory. In a study ... they found that every generation perceives moral decline. By consolidating survey data covering 235 questions about morality over a 70-year period, and with more than 12 million participants, ... found that people collectively believed that their generation and successive generations are morally declining compared to previous ones.

But here’s the paradox: When people rated those close to them (neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family), the perception of moral decline disappeared. In some cases, they viewed people they knew as more moral than the population at large. Thus, people hold inconsistent beliefs: Everyone is becoming more selfish, rude, and dishonest—except the people they know best. ...

According to Giving USA, in partnership with the University of Indiana School of Philanthropy, American charitable giving increased 3.3 percent (when adjusted for inflation) to $592.50 billion in the past year. The largest increase was in “international affairs” philanthropies, many of which aim to improve the well-being of the global poor. ..."

Moral Progress Is Hidden in Plain Sight - by Camille Miner "We're not getting worse, we just want better."