Another thought spin-off from watching “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” results from a statement by one of the people interviewed, who said that he felt that what he was doing could be unethical, or worse. What is worse than unethical? Is there anything in personal life which could be more painful than believing yourself to be unethical? After all, it’s about what you believe. My immediate thought was that this person thought that being found guilty of breaking the law is worse. That gives me pause.
Both are social systems, existing in the context of one’s relationship with the rest of humanity. Certainly, with law. With ethics, and morality, the consideration is much deeper, which some relate to the fundamental behavioral nature of human beings. On the surface, though, one thinks that one’s ethical choices are personal choices of free will, whereas it is clear that the law is imposed by others.
I think people are more likely to be willing to break the law than to violate their own beliefs.
Category: Stupidity