Were ancient people more moral — or just more restricted?

I would like to explain why people in ancient times are perceived to be more morally upright.

The truth is, they were not necessarily better people. Human behavior is often dictated by laws, rules, and social regulations. For the sake of clarity, let me define two concepts: 1. Open society

2. Closed society

An open society is one where individuals are free to do many things, as long as these actions are not considered offensive or illegal under the law.

A closed society, on the other hand, is one in which many behaviors are deemed unacceptable or even abominable.

In ancient times, people lived within a closed society, a community where many actions considered normal today were condemned as evil.

They lived in environments where societal rules were deeply ingrained in everyday life. Friends, neighbors, and the broader community acted as informal enforcers of these rules.

In such a setting, individuals did not necessarily act out of personal virtue, but rather out of a collective adherence to societal expectations. Their so-called “goodness” stemmed more from fear of punishment than from an internal moral compass.

This is because people feared the consequences of violating societal norms.

Thus, what appeared to be moral behavior was actually conformity driven by fear.

What we may perceive as obedience was often simply individuals avoiding punishment. Regardless of the motive, the result was a community that appeared morally upright.

We now live in an open society, which is fundamentally different.

Today, if a married person is unfaithful, one cannot simply attack him or exile him from the community.

Modern legal systems, particularly those influenced by Western legal system provide individuals with significantly more freedom.

As such, when someone lives morally in today's world, it is more likely a reflection of their true character rather than fear of repercussions.

Their behavior is guided more by free will than by societal pressure.