“WHY DO PEOPLE ACT UNETHICHALLY?

MOST PEOPLE DEFINE UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR AS CONDUCT THAT DIFFERS FROM THE WAY THEY
BELIEVE WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. EACH OF US DECIDES FOR
OURSELVES WHAT WE CONSIDER UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR, BOTH FOR OURSELVES AND OTHER. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO ACT IN A MANNER THAT WE DECIDE IS
UNETHICAL.

SO, THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY REASONS WHY PEOPLE ACT UNETHICALLY:

1. THE PERSON’S ETHICAL STANDARDS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE,
OR
2. THE PERSON CHOSES TO ACT SELFISHLY.

IN MANY INSTANCES, BOTH REASONS EXIST.

LET’S HAVE A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE REASONS.

1. PERSON’S ETHICAL STANDARDS DIFFER FROM THE GENERAL SOCIETY

EXTREME EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHOSE BEHAVIOR VIOLATES ALMOST EVERYONE’S ETHICAL

STANDARDS ARE DRUG DEALERS, BANK ROBBERS, AND LARCENISTS. MOST PEOPLE WHO COMMIT
SUCH ACTS FEELS NO REMORSE WHEN THEY ARE APPREHENDED, BECAUSE THEIR ETHICAL
STANDARDS DIFFER FROM THOSE OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.

I’M NOT IN ANY WAY COMPARING THE AFORMENTIONED TO THIS CHARACTER BUT THIS REASON
REMINDS ME OF ROBIN HOOD. CO’S ROBIN STEALS FROM THE RICH, AND GIVES THE MONEY, FOOD
OR OTHER BELONGINGS TO THE POOR, HE DOESN’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT BECAUSE HE BELIEVES
THAT WHAT HE IS DOING IS RIGHT, BUT MANY OTHERS WILL JUST SIMPLY SEE THAT AS ‘STEALING’,
BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ETHICHAL STANDARDS THAT ARE MORE ACCEPTED BY THE SOCIETY.

THERE ARE ALSO MANY FAR LESS EXTREME EXAMPLES WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLATED ETHICAL
VALUES. EXAMPLE, WHEN PEOPLE CHEAT ON THEIR TAX RETURNS, TREAT OTHER PEOPLE WITH
HOSTILITY, LIE ON EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS, OR PERFORM BELOW THEIR COMPETENCE LEVEL AS
EMPLOYEES, MOST OF US REGARD THAT AS UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR. IF THE OTHER PERSON HAS
DECIDED THAT THIS BEHAVIOR IS ETHICAL AND ACCEPTABLE, THERE IS A CONFLICT OF ETHICAL
VALUES THAT IS UNLIKELY TO BE RESOLVED.

2. THE PERSON CHOOSES TO ACT SELFISHLY

TAKE NOTE THAT A CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR RESULTS FROM

SELFISH BEHAVIOR.

THE PORK BARREL SCAM AND THE OTHER POLITICAL SCANDALS RESULTED FROM THE DESIRE
FOR POLITICAL POWER AND WEALTH; CHEATING ON TAX RETURNS AND EXPENSE REPORTS IS
MOTIVATED BY FINANCIAL GREED; PERFORMING BELOW ONE’S COMPETENCE AND CHEATING
ON TESTS ARE TYPICALLY DUE TO LAZINESS. IN EACH CASE, THE PERSON KNOWS THAT THE
BEHAVIOR IS INAPPROPRIATE, BUT CHOOSES TO DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL
SACRIFICE NEEDED TO ACT ETHICALLY.