Those who believe that ethics cannot be generalized but vary with every
situation, come up with justification and keep changing their ethics from
situation to situation, and person to person. This is called situational
ethics. This is ethics of conveniences rather than conviction.
BENCHMARKS
Why
do we have standards? They are a measure. One meter in Europe is one meter in
Asia. One kilogram of flour is one kilogram of flour wherever you go. People
who do not want to adhere to any moral standards keep changing the definition
of morality by saying nothing is right or wrong, your thinking makes it so.
They put the onus on interpretation rather than on their behavior. They feel
"my behavior is OK, your interpretation was messed up."
For example,
Hitler could have believed he was right. But the big question is, "Was he
right?" Giving money to the hungry for food is right but at the same time
giving money to buy drugs is not right.
The generalization sets the benchmark,
the exception is the situation. For example, murder is wrong. That is a general
statement and a generalized truth and ethical standard. Unless it is in
self-defense. This doesn't say that it is OK to murder if the weather is good
or if you feel like it.
A person's interests, other than his job, tells much
about him. The way
a person spends his leisure time reflects on his performance at work. A drug
addict if running short of money would be more likely to embezzle than a person
who is not an addict. Our standard of ethics is revealed by the advisors we
hire, the suppliers we pick, and the buyers we deal with.
Opinions may vary
from culture to culture. But values such as fairness, justice, integrity and
commitment are universal and eternal. They have nothing to do with culture.
Never has there been a time when society has not respected courage over
cowardice.
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