INTRODUCTION

STEMMING THE DECLINE OF
MORAL STANDARDS

Today we are all faced with widespread evidence of a deepening moral crisis.

Intolerance—racial and ethnic hate crimes, including genocide, are rampant, with religious, ethnic or cultural differences fueling most conflicts.

Greed—corporate theft and employee and consumer fraud total hundreds of billions of dollars, with U.S. businesses losing some 7 %, or $994 billion, to fraud annually.

73
PER CENT
of Americans
STATE
MORAL
VALUES
are declining

Immorality—pornography accounts for one-third of all web pages, with child pornography one of the fastest-growing businesses online. For every two dollars of software purchased legitimately, one dollar’s worth is obtained illegally. Some 70 % of American high school students have cheated on exams.

Criminality—from $600 billion to $1.6 trillion is laundered each year by drug dealers, arms traffickers and other criminals.

Drug abuse—over 210 million people consume illegal drugs.

Self-respect—each year, 10-20 million individuals attempt suicide and 1 million die.

Environmental irresponsibility—the 400 % increase in natural disasters since the 1980s has been attributed to weather-related incidents resulting from rising greenhouse gases. Half the world’s hospital beds are occupied by people suffering from illnesses linked to contaminated water.

With no apparent solutions, many are taking to the streets in open revolt against their governments. Yet riot and revolt are not the answer.

At the root of this crisis is a lack of basic morals and values. The Way to Happiness is helping to reverse this decline and restore integrity and trust to humankind.

L. Ron Hubbard authored the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness to provide a road map any individual may follow to make choices leading to a happier, more decent and fulfilling life. Because it is entirely nonreligious, this common-sense moral code can be embraced by anyone of any race, culture or creed.

By presenting copies of The Way to Happiness to friends, associates and even strangers, anyone can help those around them survive better, thereby improving one’s own survival. In turn, those who receive the booklet pass it on to those they influence, guiding others to treat their fellows with kindness, compassion and respect. In these ways and many more, the Way to Happiness movement is uplifting every sector of society.