I believe the source of decay of moral and ethical values may well stem from our lack of family-taught values. When I grew up in a small midwestern community, children were taught to be honest, respectful and considerate of other people. Yet today these principles seem to have become so much excess baggage for more and more Americans. Too many folks have thrown these virtues to the winds, preferring instead to covet whatever they want and do whatever is necessary to get it. The fabric of our society and our businesses is decaying accordingly.
Parents seem caught up in pursuit of their own selfish desires.
Because they fail to exude a value system respectful of others, their children are molded in the same selfish image. These offspring see their elders taking whatever steps are necessary in order to achieve the objects of their desire, and the young learn to emulate these selfish motives. Too many members of our society who once respected the property of others are now totally focused on whatever they can get for themselves at others' expense. We hear tales of sweat shops where people are illegally forced to work long hours in appalling conditions for obscenely small wages. Yet tales of these environments seem to be only the tip of the iceberg.