Upholding Uprightness in Far Eastern University and in the Nation
UPHOLDING UPRIGHTNESS IN FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY AND IN THE NATION
Uprightness…? Uprightness, according to the Merriam- Webster’s dictionary, is something that is marked by strong moral rectitude. A morally upright person is one who has a strong set of personal values. He has high moral principles and he cannot be pressured or persuaded to abandon them. To be morally upright in today’s world can be very challenging with so many immoral things happening around us. In films and television, a morally upright person is usually pictured as boring and unpopular. Sometimes, the character is even portrayed comically with thick eye glasses and a weird sense of fashion. The reality is that media has clouded our perception of what’s in and out and being morally upright is definitely uncool. But sometimes, it is not only the media that has shaped our morality. Our peers also influence us to act in certain ways so that we will feel part of the group. Because of this, our values or those that were taught to us by our parents when we were younger are ignored and taken for granted. We are sometimes pressured to do things that we know are wrong but we still do it anyway, or risk being labeled as “KJ” or killjoy by some people. We tend to lose our common sense in favor of the dangerous and the exciting unmindful of the consequences. Another threat to a morally upright society is poverty. In a developing country like the Philippines, some people will do anything, even cheat or steal, to become rich and successful. It is said that this is common in private schools where there are students who would manage to go to great lengths just to survive financially. While it is true that some of them do succeed, they lack integrity and moral values. These people are still likely to be unhappy even though they are already wealthy and successful. To be morally upright, you don’t need to dress or talk like Betty La Fea. The issue of morality should never be confined to
Uprightness…? Uprightness, according to the Merriam- Webster’s dictionary, is something that is marked by strong moral rectitude. A morally upright person is one who has a strong set of personal values. He has high moral principles and he cannot be pressured or persuaded to abandon them. To be morally upright in today’s world can be very challenging with so many immoral things happening around us. In films and television, a morally upright person is usually pictured as boring and unpopular. Sometimes, the character is even portrayed comically with thick eye glasses and a weird sense of fashion. The reality is that media has clouded our perception of what’s in and out and being morally upright is definitely uncool. But sometimes, it is not only the media that has shaped our morality. Our peers also influence us to act in certain ways so that we will feel part of the group. Because of this, our values or those that were taught to us by our parents when we were younger are ignored and taken for granted. We are sometimes pressured to do things that we know are wrong but we still do it anyway, or risk being labeled as “KJ” or killjoy by some people. We tend to lose our common sense in favor of the dangerous and the exciting unmindful of the consequences. Another threat to a morally upright society is poverty. In a developing country like the Philippines, some people will do anything, even cheat or steal, to become rich and successful. It is said that this is common in private schools where there are students who would manage to go to great lengths just to survive financially. While it is true that some of them do succeed, they lack integrity and moral values. These people are still likely to be unhappy even though they are already wealthy and successful. To be morally upright, you don’t need to dress or talk like Betty La Fea. The issue of morality should never be confined to