The moral compass is what the Stoics called "wisdom." Wisdom comes from experience as we learn the hard way the difference between right and wrong which is based on what works or doesn't work which is based on what gets the desired and compared to the unwanted outcome. In other words, we all are working, whether we know it or not, on our Ph.D. from the University of Hard Knocks.
The moral compass is provided by the "wise elder" or what the stoics called a "sage". Do you know any sages? There are a few on this list who contribute from time to time. A sage is also sometimes called a "mensch" in yiddish.
As Bob Dylan sang "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." but a sage or a mensch knows if you need help.
According to Piaget who maps the stages of cognitive development in the human life cycle about the age of 7 is the age of reason when children begin to understand more objectively the difference between right and wrong. This understanding comes from some code whether it is religious like the ten commandments or the law of the land or the rules pronounced and enforced by an authority figure like a parent or a teacher or a coach, etc.
ReplyDeleteMany adults are conflicted about the difference between right and wrong so how can they instill such an understanding in their children?