Ego-centrism the root of moral indifference

Katie van Schaijik | Nov 28, 2011

When Joe Paterno was fired and the streets of the school's town erupted in outrage, my immediate reaction was: "What is the matter with those students?!" 

Mary Graw Leary offers some answers over at the Witherspoon Institute's Public Discourse. 

She thinks the main reason is the widespread sexualization of children in our culture.  I think that's the main reason the abuse of children is so wretchedly commonplace.  But the main reason the Penn Students responded as they did, is, I suspect, something different.  I suspect it has to do with basic moral immaturity and ego-centrism (likewise lamentably widespread in our culture).  They view Paterno according to what he means to them. They like the role he plays in their lives; they want it to continue. They're mad that anyone is interfering with it. The victims, on the other hand, are unreal to them.  So they don't count.

This is a phenomenon I am observing more and more frequently.