One of my favorite expressions is, “What were once vices are now habits.” Aside from being the title of a better-than-decent Doobie Brothers album that gave us the song Black Water, it’s a phrase from the idioms dictionary that could have come from the mouth of Joe Maddon if (a) the Brothers Doobie hadn’t come up with it first and (b) Joe hadn’t decided to clam up for the pending Cubs campaign.
Upon further examination, the phrase basically indicates a reversal in moral fiber. Social mores and standards certainly do change and evolve over time and cultures obviously shift due to outside influences as societal standards move this way and that.