The terms civilization and culture together bring out the need for approval of individual actions from a group of peers. This when left to develop enough leads to a moral code. Which in essence is the opposite of barbarianism/animalistic tendencies.
So here we are with a moral codes which extend from ethics to conscience and consequentialism to guilt. This gives us a egotistical high ground from which to look down upon the rest of the universe. Once we finds ourselves on this imaginary pedestal there is nowhere to go but down. Let me elaborate.
In work life or in personal matters we take the moral code to be universally applicable but this will conflict with sel-interest and desirable outcomes. At this point we are left with an option to loosen the moral code (bend so to say) or forgo personal gain. As can be noted from the quote
Let he/she who is without any flaws or sins ‘cast the first stone
All of us have made these compromises at various points in time. But this code is usually so much a part of our existence that life without appears to be an impossible commodity. But then again moral codes are flexible (after all they can be bent 
) but it’s like segments of a rubber band. If you pull on one side the other will tighten and resist more. Or as Newton put it once. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, Well in this case opposite but not really equal. I do not mean to say that we always have a looser moral code as we progress through life. But it allows modification within limits. Of course socio-economic conditions play a major role but, Individuals do have a level of control over it.
For those of you who read this far hoping I’d get to the point. Well there isn’t any just an observation, at best astute , at worst a foregone conclusion.
