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Tinashe Nyamushanya Youth Interactive Writer

Moral decadence among the youth is fast  becoming the norm and sadly pointing to waning of the highly desired moral values. The patterns of behavior among the youth reveal morality level is at an all-time low; long regarded as a consequent factor of modernisation.

Today the effects of modernisation are being blamed for the moral crisis the youth are currently facing. A core argument has been modernisation effect produces pervasive social and cultural consequences, and affects how values are being taught to and perceived by the youth. 

From many sources it does appear modernization is a threat to maintaining those values. It does appear modernisation is a threat to maintaining those values necessary for the survival of the people.

Acquiring values of honesty, respect, kindness, obedience, generosity and compassion would make one to be judged as good and having the necessary skills, beliefs and habits to guarantee his/her commitment to society’s ideals and acceptable behaviour. The important aspects of traditional education which were used to impact values included story-telling, teaching, practical training, rite of initiation and other method.

Modernity effect on youths’ behaviour

In present times moral decadence has to a significant extent replaced basic moral values. The witnessed behavior pattern of the youth is an indication morality is at its all-time low. Today the youth are lax, and more interested in pleasure and enjoyment with no sense of the future, the sum total of all these is a fall in moral standards that has resulted in indiscipline at all levels of society, whose results is craze for power without accountability, cheating, laziness, and, lack of dignity and respect for human life. Furthermore, it is in public domain there is an increase in vices like corruption, broken homes, teenage pregnancies, crime, and sexual promiscuity all linked to the breakdown of moral values. Being dishonest, unjust, intolerant, disrespectful, disobedient,undisciplined, individualistic or corrupt makes one a hero in the contemporary society because these are the values majority holds and are pursuing. The modern society has adopted the philosophy “the end justifies the means.” 

Everyone wants to acquire wealth in the shortest time possible thereby causing the wave of corruption to be in vogue. One notable consistent behaviour pattern of the youth is in the use of social media.

Social media and youths’ attitude

The media has fast become the forum of public life and social interaction among the youth and has greatly impacted on their values and attitude. Internet and television allow instantaneous exchange of information. They perpetuate social change without physical contact through 

borrowing of fashions and mingling of cultures. Not surprising then, modernisation has been blamed for interfering with the way things used to be.

A significant impact of mass media has been the propagation of violence particularly on video  film and television where the actors are portrayed as heroes. 

The children who have been  exposed to this kind of violence have been known to exhibit violent tendencies in their lives. In addition, the use of social media, television, and the increased proliferation of social functions has given rise to celebrities who the youth yearn to learn from  or imitate. 

These celebrities are famous for nudity and substance abuse among other indecent  habits. 

The youth continue to witness the media society celebrate scantily dressed women and socialites and corrupt people celebrated as heroes and trusted with public offices. Disturbingly,  it is the case today that within their environment the youth are surrounded by a crowd of  witnesses who have thrown morality away, but nevertheless making it in life. 

Generally social media has been noted to have a significant influence on the youths’ way of life  especially their choices, desires and attitudes. This may be in relation to the nature of some mass media content which the youth seem to know compromises moral values and disrupts family time together. 

The situation is made worse when social media provides information that  erodes the sense in the traditional values and ideals. 

The youth like many other people enjoy the benefits social media offers but it is unfortunate a good number are allowing  themselves to be victims of its negative influence. A key finding is mass media has a significant influence on the  youths’ way of life especially their choices and desires. Standards of morality, ethics, religion, 

and custom are being compromised day after day. 

In a nutshell, this article confirms the long held truism that moral values have been extinguishing gradually in the face of modernity which has brought multiple challenges to the way children are taught. To move forward, the parents must be willing to play their instructor as well as vigilant role while the youth must be helped to come out of their current worrisome moral situation in order to possess the wherewithal needed to 

act prudently when they face challenges. This should be done with the understanding that the new ways especially the social media cannot be wished away.

The notion life can be lived out with less of life skills demonstrates a conspiracy borne out of  modernisation and makes this study conclude that some youth’s reasoning and proper judgment in responding to whatever issue they face in life is not guided by any meaningful values.