Social Moral Pressures: The Crossroads between Law, Morality and Freedom

 

Deviation, Delinquency and Personal Freedoms

In the sociological debate, it is necessary to distinguish between deviance (deviation) and delinquency. In short, delinquency encompasses those actions and behaviors that are explicitly defined by law as criminal offenses. Deviance, on the other hand, is those deviant behaviors and actions that are not prohibited by law, but are condemned by social morality and culture as unacceptable.

Our extremely heterogeneous society often has a tendency to exceed the limits of the law. It is very fond of judging and judging individuals in areas that do not concern official prosecution or conviction under existing legislation. In doing so, we often forget that society should also be based on the personal freedoms of the individual.

Ethics, Empathy and Moral Pressure

The discussion of social-moral pressures and judgments inevitably leads us to the question of our personal culture and empathy towards others. It is crucial to ask ourselves:

Where is the line between social moral pressure and the violation of personal freedoms?

Why do we deprive others of their personal freedoms?

Why do we not only tolerate our own and others' unjustified moral pressures, but even implement them instead of condemning them?

A moral prohibition or condemnation by society should not be the basis for stigmatizing what is not defined as impermissible in legislation.

The limits of personal freedoms

Many areas of our lives clearly fall under the umbrella of personal freedoms, and society should not be the judge in them:

Family life: Personal freedoms include the free decision to create a family, enter into marriage, or have children. Therefore, condemning an individual who decides to marry and/or have children is just as unjustified as condemning a single person or a person without children.

 Association and relationships: People are free to choose who to associate with and who to exclude – within the framework of mutual agreement, of course.

Identity and style: Our clothing, style, fashion choices or lack thereof are part of our own identity. Any moral condemnation in this area constitutes an unacceptable interference with personal freedom.

Property rights and freedom of expression

Interference with property rights is often a bone of contention. An individual who decides to make his property look as he sees fit, as long as it does not endanger others, is exercising his right. The same applies to decisions to sell, rent or allow easements. It is primarily interference with the property rights of another that is deviant and/or delinquent.

Regarding freedom of expression, we can adhere to a simple but effective cultural rule: "Express yourself about what is yours and in your own affairs" or "Sweep in front of your own doorstep." This avoids violating the freedoms of others.

 If we look at the Criminal Code, we can conclude that we have a completely sufficient number of rules, regulations, and officials to prosecute officially prohibited (delinquent) acts. Therefore, the emphasis of society should be on respecting the legal order and personal freedoms, not on exercising unjustified moral pressures.