The Societal Nature of Morality: A Reflection on Nietzsche and Kant

Nietzsche argues that Kant's categorical imperative influenced him, and Kant changed his ways to God, Morality, and freedom. I think in this scenario, Nietzsche aims to free Kant and all human beings from their false view and consciousness about morality, a wrong view that morality is right for them. My opinion is that although morality is just a set of rules that have been set by the people in society, it serves the good for many, if not all, people.

I believe that society is the institution that sets some actions to be moral or immoral through established institutions such as the judiciary and the unwritten ethics in society. If I were born in an isolated community that believed that stealing was the right way of obtaining possessions and wealth, I would have grown up believing that stealing is a moral activity. I will feel no remorse while doing so, and universally, every member of my isolated community practices it as an economic activity. The robbed people will also not complain, as it has not been defined to them that it is an illegal or unethical activity being done to them.

However, I think the set morals in a community do not cage people into a moral penitentiary. Morality in a society creates equity among the community members, as every member of the society will be guided by the set moral standards to base their decisions when pursuing their interests. Thinking about the consequences of your goals and desires on other people's ambitions, aspirations, and goals creates harmony in society, rather than creating a moral jail of thinking.

Kant's view of morality in the theory of the categorical imperative is universal and impartial. In today's world, Kant is more right than Nietzsche, as today's morality is universal. A significant number of society members are guided by rationale rather than a sporadic thinking process while figuring out whether an action is morally upright or not, and how the action will impact other community members. Society's morals are also impartial and non-discriminatory as they are applied to every member of society without exception or any existing biases.