A new survey conducted by Pew Research examined what is considered “morally acceptable” in 25 countries. From Indonesia to Brazil, from Turkey to the Netherlands, thousands of people were asked about the moral acceptability not only of certain behaviors, but also of their fellow citizens and people from other countries.
The survey reveals interesting data on the opinions of people from diverse backgrounds on, shall we say, hot topics such as divorce, abortion, alcohol, weed, porn, extramarital affairs, gambling, contraception, and homosexuality. Factors such as age, gender, religion, political affiliation, and education level were also taken into account.
The study offers a revealing perspective on the social evolution of taboo subjects in different societies and allows us to glimpse some common patterns. Having an extramarital affair was the most morally condemned behavior worldwide, with 77% of respondents taking this position. Marijuana (52%), pornography (49%), and gambling (49%) are also viewed negatively, surpassing—and this is noteworthy—abortion and homosexuality, which have historically been demonized and persecuted, receiving 32% and 28% global disapproval, respectively. Drinking alcohol (24%) is far less frowned upon. Finally, divorce and contraception, once widely condemned, are at the bottom of the list, with just 12% and 8% disapproval each.
Of course, these percentages change radically when broken down by region. Asian and African countries have very high rates of disapproval when it comes to homosexuality, while in Europe it’s hardly considered a problem. It is noteworthy that the same pattern appears with gambling. Likewise, Latin American and African countries are more likely to condemn abortion.
On the other hand, populations with higher levels of education and younger age groups were less likely to view behaviors such as homosexuality—or, especially, cannabis use—as “morally unacceptable.”
Another interesting tidbit: The vast majority of countries rated their own region as more moral than others… but only in the US did a majority view their fellow citizens as lacking in morality and ethics, highlighting the political divide that, while present in other countries, appears to be reaching a breaking point in the United States.
And speaking of the US, this country stands out for simultaneously holding some of the most conservative and most permissive views. While infidelity, homosexuality, abortion, and porn are condemned by large segments of the population, this is not the case with weed, unlike in the vast majority of countries. What’s more, smoking pot is apparently viewed more favorably than gambling and on par with divorce, contrary to the sentiment in most countries that continue to condemn the plant.
The impact of cannabis legalization is reflected in the survey: countries that have taken steps toward regulating it show lower disapproval rates, with a few exceptions among countries considered “conservative,” such as Mexico and Israel. The case of India is also striking, where cannabis has an 81% disapproval rating, despite the plant’s traditional and millennia-old use in the region.
This survey offers a snapshot of global public opinion on sensitive issues that have been the focus of public debate for decades, and helps gauge the evolving moral pulse of widely different populations over the years.
