Exploring Morality: A Foundation of Human Values

Morals are deeply embedded in the nature of humanity creating courage, bravery and a tenacity to stand up for humankind. Morality is what holds society together for without Morality people are but men and women doing as they please when it pleases them. Morals reflect the light side of humanity, the light that everybody has the power to possess, to use at their disposal. Morals have the ability to change how a person behaves consciously and unconsciously, for the light side of humanity holds much sway over the way in which people view the world and wish to be viewed them self’s. In his account, Wiesel conveys the enduring power of hope through the storey of his morals which helped him to stay by his father even when his father had begun to

hold him back. It was his father that had told him ‘Master your strength, don’t lose hope’ and it was this hope that his father provided that helped him to make it through the darkest days of his life even when his ‘dreams turned to ashes’ and survive to see a brighter day. Morality and the light resides within us all and affects us in ways that control the entire outcome of our lives. Morality is what holds society together, creating guidelines in which to live our lives by.
Humanity can normalise the inhumane, accepting and submitting to moral corruption thus creating social norms that allow for moral corruption to succeed. People all possess the ability to exhibit darkness, whether it can be life changing for others and effect upon their lives or nominal darkness that has relatively little to no affect. People can endure life changing experiences that bring the darkness out of them, or the slow enduring of pain and suffering can bring it out or people can just wish to be dark and allow the darkness to surface. None the less the darkness of humanity resides in all of us. All people are born good, darkness is something that if brushed against it will be absorbed and create the person whom you are to become. The darkness of humanity is depicted in Wiesel’s experiences as a boy leaves his father as he doesn’t wish to be slowed down and wants to increase his chance of survival, ‘he just left him for dead’. When people are put in a position of survival they exhibit darkness in the form of selfishness and they ability to only care for them self’s and only exhibit compassion for them self’s. When the inhumane is made the norm it can begin to be seen as the norm. This brings out the darkness that resides in all of us.
Humanity is flawed and makes many mistakes, but in the face of evil and darkness, people can be defiant, courageous and have the strength to ensure that horrors remain in the memory of the world and are never repeated.

Humans are complex beings which can be mysterious at times, humans show ranges of emotions, all the way from the dark side of humanity to the light. Humanity has the capacity to have the dark and light of humanity reside within us all. The good of humanity been what shines through for the majority of humanity, however the darkness will always reside within human kind. It is down to humanity whether or not to allow the darkness take hold. Through Wiesel’s graphic story he recounts the darkness and lightness of humanity through the events that he is put through, the trial that his god put him through. He exhibits hate for his god and love for his father. He ‘Leaves behind a legacy of words, memories’ for the next generations, a legacy for people to listen to, to learn from to ensure that what he endures never has to be endured again. However an important lesson came out of what the Jews where put through ‘Help one another. It’s the only way to survive’. Humanity may possess flaws and darkness, but the goodness and light of humanity will always over power the darkness and allow humanity to burst from the

ashes.