In this blog post, we will examine how the actions of individuals without conscience affect society and why conscience is important for maintaining a healthy society.
Why should we live right?
FC Barcelona, a soccer team based in Barcelona, Spain, achieved the feat of winning all three major European competitions in the 2014–2015 season. There are many prestigious soccer teams in Europe, but FC Barcelona was able to rise to the top thanks to the selfless play of three attackers. Even when they had opportunities to score, they did not hesitate to pass the ball to a teammate who had a better chance of scoring, helping the team to score more goals. Their selfless behavior boosted the morale of the entire team, and the result was recorded in the club’s history.
This case is consistent with the theory presented in the book The Altruistic Human. This book presents a theory that altruistic behavior can maximize the results of the group as a whole. The higher the quantity and quality of work performed by a group, the better the results achieved by the group. The aforementioned soccer example can be said to be a real-life example of this theory, in that when a relationship of mutual respect and trust is formed based on altruistic attitudes, the results achieved exceed the sum of the individual efforts.
When altruism is needed: Group assignments
From the perspective of college students, the situation where altruistic behavior is most urgently needed is when working on group assignments. Group assignments are not structured in such a way that good results can be achieved by one person alone; high performance can be achieved when the entire team works together in harmony. If all group members consider each other and do their best in their respective roles, not only will the results be good, but the individual evaluation scores are also likely to be high.
However, the reality is different from the ideal. Some students focus on the fact that they can get high marks thanks to the efforts of other group members even if they do not participate actively. In other words, there is a structure in which there is no disadvantage in not acting altruistically. Group projects are usually evaluated based on the results of the project alone, so this free rider behavior often causes problems.
How can we solve the free rider problem?
The most effective way to solve this problem is to introduce a system in which team members evaluate each other after completing a group assignment. A method in which team members give each other scores and individual scores are assigned based on the results is effective in reducing free riding. In other words, even if the assignment results are good, students who receive negative feedback from their teammates should not be able to receive high scores.
Of course, evaluating each other may feel somewhat subjective and ambiguous. Some students may think they participated diligently, but other group members may not see it that way. This can lead to feelings of injustice when receiving a low evaluation. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly communicate and share the evaluation method and criteria before starting group assignments. Furthermore, feedback should be provided continuously among group members during the assignment process. The process of asking and confirming whether you are contributing enough to the group can be a training exercise in altruism.
In addition, without a certain degree of coercion and sanctions, group assignments will inevitably be pushed to the back burner in students’ personal lives. Therefore, a fair evaluation system can serve as a mechanism to encourage teamwork and foster a sense of shared responsibility, rather than simply being a means of punishment.
Does moral behavior always require reward?
In situations where the reward for the outcome is clear, such as group assignments, it is relatively easy to encourage altruistic behavior. However, there are moral situations in the world where the rewards are not clear. For example, picking up trash on the street, carrying a stranger’s luggage, or helping someone in danger do not seem to directly benefit me. So why should we do such things?
We are beings who live in a complex network of relationships called society. Even a small action I take will inevitably affect others connected to me. If that influence is negative, then the action should naturally be regulated. Simply put, if all members of society were to act in the same way I did, and society would become difficult to maintain, then that action is wrong. Free riding on group assignments and repeatedly skipping class can also be considered immoral behavior according to this standard.
Conscience, the second reason for moral living
What if you are in a situation where you must act correctly toward someone who is completely unrelated to you? For example, what should you do if you are rushing to an appointment and see an elderly person carrying heavy luggage or someone in an emergency situation asking for help? Is there a reason to help them even though there is no practical benefit to you?
The answer to this question can be found in the concept of conscience.
Most people who grow up in society internalize social norms and moral values through various forms of education and experience. This is not limited to direct education such as morality classes. Through various media, such as discipline at home, school life, the media, dramas, and movies, we constantly learn and recognize “what is the right thing to do.” This accumulated awareness functions as a moral compass called conscience, which guides our behavior in situations of conflict.
Conscience is not a simple emotion, but a minimum moral standard that every member of a healthy society must have.
Self-formation and quality of life
Finally, the third reason for living right is to form a healthy self.
Humans form their identity through repetitive behavior. If we repeatedly make selfish and immoral choices, they will soon become part of our personality and self. Such a self will ultimately lower the quality of our lives and have a negative impact on our entire lives. The self is not a simple psychological concept, but the central axis and core value that guides each of our lives.
People who repeatedly engage in irresponsible and immoral behavior for the sake of immediate comfort and small gains will eventually lose even the happiness and pleasure they sought to achieve. In other words, an unwholesome self can distort and destroy the direction of one’s life in the long run.
There is no single answer to why we should live right
The reason we should live right is like the process of building multiple layers of breakwaters. Those who are not blocked by the first breakwater are restrained by the second breakwater, their conscience, and if that does not work, they are restrained by the third breakwater, the concept of self-formation.
However, there are some people who are not affected by any of these breakwaters. For such people, it is very difficult to persuade them because they have no “reason” to live right.
The question, “Why should I live right?” seems to be a matter of value judgment, but in reality, it can only be answered in part by factual judgment based on the results. I have presented three reasons, but even so, there is no perfect answer to the question, “Why should I live right?”
However, one thing is certain: people who harm others, feel no remorse, and develop an unhealthy sense of self will ultimately lose something more important than the pleasure and happiness they sought.
With this realization, we will have a reason to choose a slightly more righteous life today.
