Philosophy and Me

My philosophy class is currently reading a book called "The Ethics of Authenticity," by Charles Taylor. In it, he makes some very interesting points on the value system of modern society.

Before the "modern age," everyone accepted the view that morals are absolute, and to live in opposition to moral standards was to cast yourself out of acceptable society. The modern age came with the demise of "moral orders," and replaced these "moral orders" with individualism, or the ability to live your life however you prefer. Individualism, however, ushered in a new era where the focus of the individual is, predictably, on himself, and not on an order, or higher being. The view that you are supposed to do whatever makes you feel happy is rampant among many circles in our mordern society, and individualism is, many think, the main cause of decadence in our culture. Individualism also saps any sense of higher purpose from the individual's thoughts. No longer are people willing to die for a cause...their only cause is themselves.

However, I must admit that on this issue, I am a tad ambivalent. On the one hand, I think that individualism makes us question what we believe in (a good thing, I think), but on the other hand, I have not made up my mind about whether this increased scepticism is better for humanity as a whole, or not (I strongly suspect that it isn't).

One thing I am sure of is this: there is no going back, short of a mass revival, or a dictator's yoke. Individualism is here to stay, and the question now, is whether we will exercise this new right to live decadently, or remain focused on the cause of Christ.