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Thedeclineinmoralstandards---whichhaslongconcernedsocialanalysts---hasatlastcapturedtheattentionofaverageAmericans.AndJeanBethkeElshtain,forone,isglad.

Thefactthatordinarycitizensarenowstartingtothinkseriouslyaboutthenation’smoralclimate,saysthisethicsprofessorattheUniversityofChicago,isreasontohopethatnewideaswillcomeforwardtoimproveit.

Butthechallengeisnottobeunderestimated.MaterialismandindividualisminAmericansocietyarethebiggestobstacles.“ThethoughtthatI’minitformehasbecomedeeplyrootedinthenationalconsciousness,”Ms.Elshtainsays.

Someofthiscanbeattributedtothedisintegrationoftraditionalcommunities,inwhichneighborslookedoutforoneanother,shesays.Withtoday'sgreatermobilityandwithsomanycouplesworking,thosebondshavebeenweakened,replacedbyagreateremphasisonself.

Ina1996pollofAmericans,lossofmoralitytoppedthelistofthebiggestproblemsfacingtheU.S..AndElshtainsaysthepubliciscorrecttosensethat:DatashowthatAmericansarestrugglingwithproblemsunheardofinthe1950s,suchasclassroomviolenceandahighrateofbirthstounmarriedmothers.

Thedesireforahighermoralstandardisnotalament(挽歌)forsomenonexistent“goldenage”,Elshtainsays,norisitawishfullongingforatimethatdeniedopportunitiestowomenandminorities.Mostpeople,infact,favorthelesseningofprejudice.

Moraldeclinewillnotbereverseduntilpeoplefindwaystocounterthematerialisminsociety,shesays.“Slowly,yourecognizethatthethingsthatmatterarethosethatcan’tbebought.”