I just finished watching the movies The Book of Eli and The Road. Both take place in a post-apocalyptic world where people are desperately trying to stay alive. Even the heroes are forced to do things we might find morally reprehensible. However, the sobering reality is that these fictional movies aren't fiction for much of the world. Until the Industrial Revolution, man was always on the verge of starvation. There are also countless people in world today forced to make lose lose choices. Whether it's the Dark Ages, Darfur, or hurricane battered New Orleans, it seems our view of right and wrong become more liberal during hard times. The more desperate, the moral gray the lines become.
I assumed this was exclusively a bad thing, that is until I read this post about some governmental changes during the Great Recession. I've posted about the positives of this recession before, but didn't mention these. The federal government recently overturned a ban on internet gambling. California, marijuana is becoming increasingly legal and taxed. There are even some local airports loosening the alcohol restrictions in airports to make money. Maybe just the right amount of hardship can shift cultural norms closer to my preference.
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