If slavery was "right" seventy years ago, but "wrong" now...does right and wrong exist?

A blank!

It exists,

say someone is trying to hurt you you are to defend your self.

u_bin_called

the only thing clearly "non-existent" is the history curriculum at your school...

Susie D

Slavery was right 70 years ago?

Funny - I thought that was abolished in 1865 - which is well over 70 years.

Slavery was "right" for thousands of years - so were many other things such as fights to the death, dueling, children marrying old men, beating your wife in the street, and a myriad of other once right things that we have phased out in a more civilized society.

It's called: change.

jehen

That the law allowed slavery (143 years ago, not 70 years ago) did not make it right. The law allows abortion today, and many do no think that is right. The point being that there were always people in the time of slavery to believe it to be wrong and worked to change it.

Knowing if or actions are right or wrong is really pretty easy. It is based on what you are taught and of course the law. But beyond that it is also based on a few simple tests: Is it fair? Is it just? How would your like it if it were done to you?

babe

Slavery was never "right". But it did have people who thought it was. Still does not make it right. But today there are still people who think it is "right". But it never was and hopefully never will be.

Justice

First of all , slavery was never 'right'. It was accepted by certain people of superior attitudes at the time. This acceptance of this unthinkable practice has resulted in many of the social problems in today's society. You see, the 'right' never existed.

Information Police

Yes, right and wrond do change over time and in different cultures.

The most serious "wrong" we have is to take the life of another person. But even for that the definition of when it is acceptable to do that has changed over time. Currently, the death penalty is used in some countries but is not used in others. That pretty much proves that for the most serious wrong, there is still disagreement in different cultures.

Danial J

In America it's wrong but in other countries like Saudi, slavery is still in full swing. You are wrong about slavery being right 70 years ago. Try 170 years ago and even then it was very questionable.

m_knobel

Societial right and wrong is based on the opinion of the masses. There may come a time in the future where through genetic engineering we create a race of nearly mindless workers that are bread for hostile environments on other planets. We may not call it slavery at that time (given past historial uses) but we would use the people in the same way.

I can find many historaial references that show that society at one point or another saw acts as normal.

Salem witch trials (burning at the stake)
Gladitoral games in rome (thousands killed for entertainment)
the list could go on

Guardian Angel

Slavery may have been right to some but not everyone. Glad there were some people around who put a stop to it. You now have to with "Bullying" and that is sooOOO horrible.

Hammerer of Nancies

No- wrong and right are subjective.
Furthermore- slavery exists in the current age particularly in Africa such as Sudan and Chad.
We also have human trafficking throughout Asia- which s a form of bondage or slavery.
Even in our own nations we have wage slavery and credit bondage.
Slavery still exists everywhere.

john a

It was never right is why people have always opposed it. It was only justified by people who wanted to profit off slavery. Right and wrong does exist.

Jeremy C

There is no universal Right or Wrong. They are merely reflections of what society deems as such.

Eric V

Ethics is merely the opinion of the masses. Overtime, drastic changes have come around involving the ideas of right and wrong. Your example is correct, as well as the catholics stating abortion was fine, now being against it. I personally believe everyone has their own beliefs of what is right and what is wrong as long as you can back up your own opinons

reup_gang

That is a large lapse in logic. As human beings we have instilled with (at least, most of us) a moral compass. Whether religious, philosophical, or evolutionary, the feelings of compassion for other human beings is real. The problem was that the justification for slavery and other abhorrent practices was that certain groups were somehow inferior, and were seen as animals, thus justifying treatment which was less than human, and allowed powerful people to revoke their most human rights of life and liberty.

lady luck

It wasn't "right" then either. That's why it was put to a stop.

I don't think everything is as simple as right and wrong. There is too much in between and that variable called life that changes things. For example killing is wrong. Anyone can agree on that one. If someone was about to kill you so you killed them is considered alright. So it's never just right and wrong.

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