As adolescents growing up in such turbulent times, it is often difficult for persons of my young age to make decisions that are both rational and moral. I have watched a countless number of my peers make decisions that they understood to be immoral. Whether or not they were simply trying to “fit in” or avoid peer pressure, I cannot say. I can only say that I observed this with sadness. For I only wish that my friends could have the strength to believe in their morals, values and reason that are the roots of their very existence and not have to resort to acting out of their desire to be accepted.I feel a sense of sadness because I know in my own life, I have developed a moral system that allows me to make decisions without a question or doubt. It is this system that allows me to face situations with the knowledge that I will come out ahead. It is true that the majority of what I believe to be moral can be attributed to my parents and the values they have instilled in me. For example, I have been told from an early age that lying is wrong. My experiences as I have grown older, and the constant reminder from my parents have only shown this value to hold consistent moral worth. However, my education, socialization and firm faith have only been the stepping stones to becoming a righteous individual. As a thinking, rational being, I see it as my duty to take this basis to a higher level. I must be able to critique my thought processes and analyze them in order to understand fully the roots of my very existence. Only then can I find myself on the road to becoming a mature and original thinker.In addition to the moral framework that I have received from my parents, I have also instilled in myself another system that adds to and enhances the already existing one. The basis of this moral code stems from the inspirational work of art known as “Desiderata” by Max Ehrmann. There is a quote from this piece that...
