How to Explain Skewed Morality
- 1). Define morality for students or kids simply as a code of conduct put forth by society and ask them to add ideas to your basic definition. Ask them for examples of morality in their own lives or in society. For example, ask them about the code of conduct expected of them in school and in your classroom. Elicit examples. Ask kids to talk about the code of conduct expected from them at home. Ask them to give examples of the code of conduct and behavior that they expect and don't expect from their parents.
- 2). Define the word "skewed" for kids and explain that basically, skewed morality is a distorted sense of what is right and wrong. Ask students to think of kinds of people in the world who might have a distorted sense of morality. Students might name people like murderers, rapists, and abusive spouses on one end of the spectrum of skewed morality, and politicians and celebrities on the other.
- 3). Discuss how different people might have a skewed sense of morality using pop culture as a tool. Analyze the character Dexter from the show of the same name -- a serial killer who kills other serial killers. Discuss how Dexter might or might not have a skewed sense of morality. Show an Internet clip of Sean Penn kicking members of the paparazzi and discuss whether Sean Penn might have a distorted sense of morality.
- 4). Discuss how what is moral and what isn't is often a question of perspective. For example, a politician might find it immoral to deprive people of the right to bear arms, while others might believe that allowing people to own guns makes it easier and more permissible for humans to kill each other and is thus an act of skewed morality. Elicit other examples from students or kids.
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