Jammu, Aug. 20 -- Moral decay is the gradual erosion of the principles that distinguish right from wrong, honesty from deceit, duty from selfishness, and compassion from indifference. It rarely arrives suddenly. It develops quietly through repeated compromises, rationalisation, silence and the normalisation of behaviour that was once considered unacceptable.
A society experiences moral decay when ethical standards cease to guide conduct. People may continue to speak about honesty, justice, dignity and responsibility, but these values increasingly become slogans rather than principles governing everyday behaviour. The most dangerous stage is not when people commit wrongs, but when they stop feeling that the wrong is wrong. A bribe becomes a...