collective conscience
Society's moral compass
The shared beliefs, values, and moral attitudes that bind a society together and shape individual behavior.
The term comes from sociology, where it describes how communities develop common standards of right and wrong that exist beyond any single person: The collective conscience of the town demanded accountability.
Distinguished from collective consciousness, which emphasizes shared awareness rather than shared morality.
- sharedHeld in common
- shared valuesPrinciples held in common
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- moral compassInner ethical guidance system
- societyOrganized communal human existence
social contract · hive mind · Durkheim · solidarity · common good · norms · unwritten rules · values · guilt · shame · taboo · tribe · hive · group identity · unspoken · beliefs · culture · judgment
collective conscienceself-interest
Concern for personal advantage
egoism · amorality · selfishness · groupthink · mob mentality
collective, collect, collected, collecting, collector, collectors, collection, collections, collectively