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Article: The McCarthyites of Virtue.(two conceptions of morality in the Clinton-Lewinsky affair)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Free Inquiry
- Article date:
- December 22, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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So much has been written and said about the Clinton-Lewinsky morality play - what can we add at this late date that is new? Perhaps that the situation vividly illustrates the deep Kulturkampf between two contending conceptions of morality engulfing America.
THE CLASH OF TWO MORALITIES
Humanism expresses the core ethical values of large sectors of life in American and Western civilization. Coming to fruition in the modern world, humanistic morality prizes individual freedom and autonomy. It believes that individuals should be allowed to express their unique talents, needs, and desires without undue repression by the state or society. The goal is the ...