Ethics

Many people believe that being honest and honorable limits their options, their opportunities, their very ability to succeed. Unfortunately, in today’s me-first culture, ethics may be the only thing people choose to live without! They believe they have only two choices: 1 to win by doing whatever it takes, even if it is wrong, or 2 to be ethical and therefore lose. Few people set out to be dishonest, but nobody wants to lose.

Adapted from John C. Maxwell, There’s no such thing as “Business” Ethics.

Assignment: Does being ethical make it hard to successful? Plan and write an essay in which yo develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.

The zephyrs of the antediluvian – the ‘golden era’ have long been subdued. The glacial fangs of the nefarious times are the harbingers of the hum drums that we are to face in the 21^st century. As the does the snake shed off his skin, the humanity has peeled off the overcoat of ethics.

Morality and ethics, in a world that is driven by selfish motives, are redundant.  The politicians would vehemently and vociferously stand against what is known as corruption. I beg your pardon but I must redraft the old maxim – “Money is mightier than mind.’ Howsoever intellectual one may be, the proponents of materialistic avarice undermine his or her intelligence. At all places be it an honorary place of office or a pre-primary school the odds of the ones carrying those jingling pennies are greater than the ones bereft of them! Such is the trend!

The use of treachery or the slight-of-hand is but validated in our scriptures. Way back in the Dwapar era Lord Krishna goaded and exhorted Arjuna to pick up his weapons against the vagabonds of Dhritrashtra – the nadir of his blood line. To defeat and combat the evil one must get into his shoes and turn out in his attires. The epitome of truth had to bring in a ‘half-man’ to conquer the invincible Bhishma. Duryodhana was killed by manipulating the norms of a duel! Had it not been for all these, just Pandavas would never have been able to be victorious over the despotic Kavravas!

The egotistical attitudes of people are not lithe. Though it is said that virtue and truth are the best policies, it is not always the case. Gandhiji the man of truth and wisdom is reported to have approved of avoiding truth that aids to disparage others. A loving and encouraging milieu uplifts an individual way beyond the mundane ways of admonishing him or her.  Truth, virtue and the like may be rendered futile at some instant or the other. Although it is not a virtue to lie but to divulge the fact that one’s father has passed away at a time when he or she is stuck in a quagmire equally a sin.

The life is a mixture of sweet and bitter experiences spun intricately together from time immemorial. Virtue, moral and ethics are too stern and rigid to comply with the fluid, licentious world that we thrive in today. However a good blend of the ‘yin and yan’ will always make a nourishing, succulent and palatable plate, far removed from the vicissitudes of the saccharine or the acrimonious served alone!