Loyalty in Our Time: Does Loyalty Matter Anymore?

While on a cruise, the subject of loyalty was raised at the dinner table. A retired school teacher lamented, "Loyalty! I sometimes wonder what that means in this day and age." This set in motion a lively discussion that drew attention to loyalty as a poignant social issue in our changing society. Loyalty in Our Time: Does Loyalty Matter Anymore? raises some disturbing issues. From the latter part of the 20th century, society has become transfixed and divided by the growing controversy surrounding loyalty, which continues to tug at the very fabric of our society. The controversy continues in all forms of the media and on the Internet. News items have highlighted the perceived breakdown in loyalty across the board, within organisations, institutions, associations, political parties, government, partnerships, sporting clubs and teams. "Loyalty is dead!" has become a common mournful cry. The quest to gain some measure of validation for this fatalistic statement comes through a basic understanding of the concept of loyalty, as well as in real-life situations. Try raising this topic at your next dinner party or social gathering! About the Author: Clarrie Burke was born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. At the onset of World War II, his family was evacuated to Brisbane, Australia. Following his schooling in Australia, he trained as a primary teacher, and for most of his career he worked in teacher education. Upon retirement, he was an executive member of Amnesty International (Queensland) and joint coordinator of the Queensland Schools Amnesty Network. He has written articles, and conducted workshops and projects on human rights, personal ethics, and social responsibility for youth. Publisher's website: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/LoyaltyInOurTime.html