We live in uncertain times. Every day, the flow of information is more chaotic, social media dictates the rules of the game, and what seemed unquestionable yesterday is now in question. We get indignant, we judge, and often we punish without thinking too much about it. But what is happening to our morality in this hyper-connected world? Are we changing the way we make moral decisions? Science has some answers that might surprise you.

Where do our morals come from? Spoiler: from the brain

Morality is not just an invention of society or religion. It is literally programmed into our brains. Over the course of evolution, we developed a number of brain structures that allow us to distinguish between right and wrong, not for philosophical reasons, but because putting the interests of the group above the individual helped our species survive.

The key areas in this process are:

• Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (VMPFC): Responsible for our moral emotions and empathy. It's what makes us feel guilt or remorse.

• Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC): The cold, logical part of morality. It helps us make ethical decisions based on rational calculations rather than emotions.

• Ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex (VOL): Helps us inhibit impulses and follow social norms.

• Amygdala: Alerts us when something is wrong and makes us feel fear or aversion towards morally problematic situations.

Simply put, our morality is a sophisticated evolutionary “app” designed to make us act in ways that benefit society.

Psychopaths: A look at the other side of morality

If morality is in the brain, what happens when something in that “app” goes wrong? Science has shown that people with psychopathy have different brains, especially in regions associated with emotion and punishment learning.

• They don't feel guilt or empathy: They have less activation in the MVPFC, which means they don't process other people's suffering in the same way as most people.

• They don't fear consequences: Their amygdala doesn't respond normally to fear, so they don't learn to avoid punishment like others.

• Less gray matter in the brain: Studies have shown that psychopaths have less gray matter in the paralimbic region, making them less sensitive to social norms.

But here comes the disturbing question: whether morality is a product of the brain and the brain It may change over time... could the modern world be changing our moral capacity?

New visual stimuli: are they changing the way we judge right and wrong?

Every day we are exposed to an avalanche of shocking images and videos: violence, tragedies, injustices... all just a click away. And this is affecting the way our brain processes morality.

1. We are becoming desensitized: Constantly seeing images of suffering can make our VMPFC less responsive, reducing our empathy and making us more indifferent to the pain of others.

2. We think less and react faster: In a world of short videos and instant news, there is no time for deep moral reflection. The LPFFC, which helps us reason, is being sidelined, and instead, the amygdala and OFC/VL take over, leading us to more impulsive responses.

3. We live in digital bubbles that reinforce our morality: Algorithms show us only what confirms our beliefs, which can lead to over-moralizing certain positions and being intolerant of other people's opinions.

The pleasure of punishment: why do we enjoy digital lynchings?

Neuroscience has shown that when we punish someone who we think has done something wrong, the brain's reward circuits are activated, the same as when we eat something delicious or receive a compliment.

This explains why people on social media are quick to attack and ridicule those they believe have violated a moral norm. It's not just about justice, but about a subconscious pleasure in meting out punishment.

But what happens when we punish without context or without allowing the right to defend ourselves? In the digital world, punishment becomes spectacle, and social media is the modern coliseum where anyone can be thrown to the lions.

So what can we do?do?

If morality is a function of the brain and the brain is shaped by the environment, this means that we can influence how we make our moral decisions. Some strategies include:

• Give ourselves time to think: Let's not react immediately to every shocking news story or video. Our brains need time to process information before making a judgment.

• Getting out of our digital bubbles: Deliberately seeking out opposing opinions helps us better understand the world and develop more balanced moral judgment.

• Exercising empathy: Listening to stories from people with different experiences and emotions can reactivate our brain connections to the VMPFC.

• Questioning the pleasure of punishment: Before we join in a digital lynching, let's ask ourselves: do we really want justice or are we just looking for a little dose of personal satisfaction?

The future of our moral compass

We are at a key moment in history. The way we consume information, make decisions, and judge others is changing rapidly. But morality is not a fixed system: it evolves with us.

If we understand how our brains work and how the digital world is shaping them, we can ensure that our moral decisions are more humane, fairer and less impulsive.

The question is: do we want a world where morality is dictated by the immediacy of a click or where we actually take the time to think and feel?