BECAUSE ___________ SAID SO!!!!

“Is my moral compass supposed to demagnetize and re-magnetize every so often?” After the death of the Thornwood High School security officer (where I graduated from 5.5 years ago), I have had many conversations about what started the fight that vicariously yet fatally injured the guard and the proper vs. actual consequences for the students involved. To add, tonight I stumbled upon Rihanna’s new music video for her 9-month-old single “Pour It Up.” Whereas I JAM to that song and LOVE the video, it concerned me that she waited until twerking became such a mainstream subject to make a video for the song—especially for the fact that Rihanna has never released music videos for songs aimed chiefly toward urban radio. It makes me wonder, what makes people think certain actions are the right ones to take, or that certain moments are the appropriate times to do them?

Lawrence Kohlberg, a late but well-respected psychologist and professor, created an entirely new area of developmental psychology called “moral development,” based on his studies that were continuations of the human development theories of Jean Piaget. (We’ll discuss him one day soon, I PROMISE!!). Kohlberg’s theory includes six stages divided into 3 groups: Pre-Conventional (stages 1 & 2; typical of children), Conventional (stages 3 & 4; typical of early/middle adolescents), and Post-Conventional (stages 5 & 6; typical of late adolescents and adults). In Stage 1 morality is driven by obedience and punishment, but a person in Stage 2 is always thinking “what’s in it for me.” Stage 3 of moral development deals with a person being concerned of how their actions conform to their peers’ behaviors while Stage 4 involves having a “law and order” mentality. Stage 5 moralists believe in acting according to social contracts and basic human rights; Stage 6—a level Kohlberg said few humans will achieve or execute consistently—moralists embody “The Golden Rule” and strive to live by universal ethical principles.

Though it is more observed that people at the given ages will demonstrate such moral reasoning due to their cognitive capabilities, people may exhibit any of these stages at different ages. That said, we adolescents do not have to wait until we’re gray-haired to do what is inherently right. Yes, it is MUCH easier to stick to the rules or keep under the radar or do only what is expected of you, but as they say, “If you know better, do better.”

- Brandon Avery