Essentially, morality refers to the sense of behavioral conduct that differentiates decisions, intentions and actions between the ones that are considered bad and the ones considered good. It entails the quality of being in line with the set standards of right and wrong. On the other hand, relativism refers to the concept that underlines that there is no absolute validity or truth, because all actions are relative and subjective and are guided by differences in considerations and perceptions. Relativism as a concept asserts that there is no absolute truth and truth is relative to an individual, or a particular culture or society, that is, it is the fundamental rejection of objectivity. Subsequently, moral relativism is the concept that underlines that morals are relative and what an individual or society considers as moral may not necessarily be moral to another.
Relativists assert that the different values and standards that are exhibited by individuals from different societies and cultures attest to the fact that morals are relative to different people. However, this argument confuses individual actions with the absolute standards
Genocide, Famine and Germ Warfare
Ideally, all human beings are entitled to life, therefore, murder or killing of human beings is very wrong because it destroys the human subject and takes away life. However, war may be very necessary at times, because it is very essential to protect the lives of threatened individuals. Mass murder is always considered to be more grievous that the criminal slaying of marked individuals but the gravity of murder should lie on the intent of the murder and not the scale. Genocides targeted individuals as members of a particular group that is resented or hated. There is no doubt that genocide is very wrong both for its scale and for its blatant negation of individuality. Moreover, it stirs hatred and resentment against the castigatory failing of the type. The act of genocide is not universally condemned and abhorred. It has very ardent and active defenders but this should not prevent humankind from speaking giants it. Famine and germ warfare are also used to target humanity in various ways.
Terrorism Hostages and Child Warriors
In the contemporary terrorism has been used as a manufactures claim to authenticity and authority. Its perpetrators use it as a way of intimidating civil populations, blackmailing democracies, instilling fear in tourists and hampering the activities of aid workers. To some, the technique has been very effective because they believe that it manages to win people to the conviction of god, hobbles economies and pries alliances among the prospective victims. Indeed, there are individuals who believe that terrorism id good but this does not make terrorism moral in any way. The act of terrorism is entails the willful targeting of not combatants with the aim of intimidating societies or nations and attracting attention.
Terrorism is a war crime, and just war crimes always aim at blocking the enemy’s ability to wage war. It is used as a strategy of sapping and stifling the will to resist. The more inhumane and devastating it is the more it is sought and praised by the ideologists, strategists and theologians of terror. Hostage taking and the capturing and training of child soldiers is a blatant violation of human rights and dignity. A considerable number of hostages are chosen not for their military activities but for the impact of their seizures, which is often aired through the internet or other media. Even though in some communities these atrocities are accepted and tolerated, they are regarded as immoral acts that should be condemned and discouraged in all ways.
Slavery Polygamy and Incest
Slavery entails making a person a tool of use without his/her will. In the contemporary society, human beings are trafficked to be used in farms or to be used as sex slaves. In most cases, the human traffickers include drug cartels, crime syndicates and small gangs. Generally, the underlying fact is that human beings are always treated and used in a very inhuman way. Polygamy is also very exploitative in several ways, but the defenders of polygamy argue that they are often freely entered, freely left. Further, they argue that they are often well protected by the law. Within the polygamous societies, women are perceived as acquisitions and displays of wealth and status, objects of enjoyment and means of reproduction.
In the polygamous settings, the husband makes all the moral choices and decisions and the wives are not allowed to question the decisions, whether they are right or wrong. Based on these grounds it is very evident that polygamy is very detrimental to humanity, especially to the women who are always denied the opportunity to make independent choices in such arrangements. In most instances, incest breeches privacy because its victims are usually daughters. Even though some practice it voluntarily, it serves to maintain the integrity and honor of the family.
In conclusion, the dominant and overriding norms in some societies and cultures have taught that some actions such as slavery and genocide are permissible. However, it is very wrong for individual in those communities to practice these activities. In effect, it is not true that is a nation, cincture or individual believes that a practice is right then it is right for that culture. For instance, anti-abortionists and abortionists agree on the fact that murder is wrong, but their major disagreement stems from the question of whether abortion is actually murder. Overall, morals cannot be relative.