Proverbs about conscience: moralizing in folk wisdom

What is conscience and is it necessary in the modern world? The answer to this question can be found not only in the psychological reference book, but also in the wisdom of popular proverbs. The human conscience is an internal instance through which a person lives according to his highest internal reference points. Anyone who realizes his actions will always act honestly, no matter how profitable this position is for himself.

The concept of honor in the wisdom of the people

The famous Russian proverb says of conscience: "For honor - at least head off your shoulders." Honor and conscience are the qualities that are needed even in our hard life. After all, if they were not in people, if by any higher forces they were taken from mankind forever, then it is simply terrible to think about what could happen to it. Without moral constraints, people would simply destroy each other after a while. Conscience is the inner voice of a person who controls all his actions and deeds.

Conscience, life and death

"It's good to live with his conscience, but to die badly," says another proverb about conscience. Death is the natural end of life. A person perceives this fact not only according to his psychological attitudes prevailing in his society of religion, stereotypes and philosophy. "In dangerous moments, the whole life sweeps before your eyes" - recently this phrase has been found in confirmation of scientific research. Scientists questioned the patients of the Israeli clinic, who were on the verge of death. Some shared their experiences, related to the past, others even talked about the future. For many of them, the experience on the verge of life and death was accompanied by a "film" about the lived life. Therefore, it is worth listening to the wisdom that warns us. "A good conscience is the eye of God," says the proverb about conscience.

When a person commits something bad, then he receives a reward from himself - he is constantly in a bad mood because of this. "Pangs of conscience" - this is how people call such a state. Another wisdom is: "Perinka of conscience is not a substitute." When a person commits a really bad deed, after that he can not sleep peacefully. Mental torment occurs in those who constantly cares only about their own profit, strives to commit those acts that are good for him, but harm others. Proverbs and sayings about conscience warn against such behavior: "Evil conscience is the executioner".

However, there is a difference between those who repent of their own actions, and those who have a bad conscience. Anyone who regrets what he did is unlikely to commit a bad deed again. He will not want to feel any more remorse.

Proverbs about conscience and shame

"In whom shame, in that and conscience", "What we are ashamed of, we are hidden", "With shame, the head is dying" - such proverbs are known for experiencing shame. Conscience is a close concept to shame, but they are not exactly identical. Conscience makes a man behave decently, in accordance with the moral norms that are accepted in society. It makes a person adjust their behavior. And shame is a subjective experience of the fact that the person himself does not correspond to the surrounding reality in which he is. That is, shame is more a feeling of inferiority. Shame and conscience can exist together. However, their difference is clearly visible in proverbs about responsibility for their actions, honor and shame. Shame can appear in a specific situation, but just as suddenly this feeling disappears.

Constant awareness or a temporary feeling?

Shame, which is a passing feeling, differs from conscience, which is a constant human quality, the ability to realize their actions. Therefore, responsibility for one's actions can be developed or not, depending on whether a person works on himself or is lazy to do it. And the cause of shame can be even those actions that a person has not committed and who do not belong to him. For example, some people may feel shame if they are pronounced obscene phrases.