"When a society abandons its ideals just because most people can't live up to them, behavior gets very ugly indeed"

Judith Martin's quote, "When a society deserts its perfects even if many people can't live up to them, behavior gets extremely unsightly undoubtedly", highlights a crucial aspect of cultural integrity and communal values. Ideals, in any society, represent the aspirational principles that direct moral and ethical behavior. They are the collective objectives towards which a society makes every effort, even if they are challenging to obtain completely. These ideals typically include worths such as justice, honesty, compassion, and equality, which supply a moral compass for society as a whole.

Martin's statement suggests that the desertion of these ideals in reaction to prevalent difficulty in attaining them results in a degeneration of social habits. It highlights the significance of keeping a commitment to high requirements, even in the face of flaw or extensive failure to fulfill them. When society decides that due to the fact that many people fail, the ideals themselves are no longer worth supporting, it risks developing an environment where unfavorable habits end up being normalized. This can manifest in increased selfishness, dishonesty, and an absence of responsibility or issue for others.

The quote implies that ideals serve an important function beyond simple standards for conduct-- they inspire people and communities to aim towards betterment, fostering development and cohesion. It also cautions versus the risks of relativism, where standards are deteriorated for the sake of convenience, resulting in ethical uncertainty and a possible increase in dishonest habits.

Additionally, Martin's observation can be viewed as a call to action for societies to encourage determination, to recognize human fallibility, but simultaneously to cultivate environments that support individuals in their efforts to reach high requirements. This includes developing systems that offer the necessary education, resources, and assistance to assist individuals align their actions with societal suitables. By doing so, societies can maintain their integrity and pursue constant enhancement, thereby avoiding the ugliness that can emerge from complacency and the lowering of expectations.