Decadence: The Passing of Personal Virtue and Its Replacement by Political and Psychological Slogans

by Digby C. Anderson

Britain, Europe and the United States are decadent societies in a special sense of that word. They have traded in an old morality that served them well throughout their civilisation for a new, experimental quasi-morality. The old morality had well-known virtues, courage, love, fairness, honesty and prudence. The new 'virtues' are equality, anti-discrimination, environmental concern, self-affirmation, a 'caring' attitude, and a critical mindset. The old were genuine virtues; they required specific behaviours of individuals. The new are quasi or bogus virtues. Some, such as equality, are political policies rather than features of personal conduct. Environmentalism is an arena in which virtue may be exercised not a virtue themselves. Transparency in business is a way of revealing virtue not a virtue. Some are slogans: they make rhetorical appeals to moral indignations. Others such as self-affirmation would once have been regarded as a vice.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so surprised no-one has rated this book. It's a great book. It runs through the classic virtues and compares them with the slogan virtues that are now so predominant in society. It explains the misunderstanding of these so virtues like transparency, tolerance, love, etc. A couple of intellectuals have contributed to this book. I would highly recommend it. It's worth a read. Very interesting.