ETHICS, INTEGRITY, VALUES AND VIRTUES
A case for ethics and integrity. In the current discourse of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, it has become blatantly obvious to many of us that part of the problem with this process is that, as a nation, we have lost the sense of ethical behavior. And this is totally unrelated to our Liar-In-Chief; he is but a mere (albeit exaggerated) reflection of what politics in our country have become, where cheating and lying are just fine as long as "we" (meaning our party, our group, our city, etc.) win. It appears several generations of Americans have forgotten what ethical behavior is all about, what right and wrong are, what doing the right thing for the country means.
It would benefit our nation to go back to basic ethics training. Ethics is the area of human knowledge that deals with moral principles, with basic values, with virtues. I know many have forgotten what values and virtues are all about; many never learned those concepts at all. It is no wonder that we have such a mess in our hands.
Setting aside, for just one moment, the personal stories of the protagonists, the crux of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination is that we no longer know how to appraise truth and honesty from people giving statements, not even when done so under oath. Even more serious is the fact that politicians are willing, in a skinny minute, to ignore falsehoods in the interest of advancing a cause. This affects all politicians, all of them willing to take values, virtues, principles and ethics, and crumble them into a messy waddle destined for a garbage can. It is rare to have a politician or other leader stand up for what is right for the many, not just for the elite few; rare for them to stop, evaluate, think, ponder, struggle with the ethics of their actions and decisions.
Sometimes they are forced to. Sometimes two women step in front of an elevator and force a senator to confront the ethics of a decision. And sometimes that confrontation results in ethical action.
It is time for all of us to stop for a moment and take time to reflect on the importance of ethics, of morals, of values and virtues, and to do so with the well-being of all citizens in our minds and in our hearts.
It would benefit our nation to go back to basic ethics training. Ethics is the area of human knowledge that deals with moral principles, with basic values, with virtues. I know many have forgotten what values and virtues are all about; many never learned those concepts at all. It is no wonder that we have such a mess in our hands.
Setting aside, for just one moment, the personal stories of the protagonists, the crux of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination is that we no longer know how to appraise truth and honesty from people giving statements, not even when done so under oath. Even more serious is the fact that politicians are willing, in a skinny minute, to ignore falsehoods in the interest of advancing a cause. This affects all politicians, all of them willing to take values, virtues, principles and ethics, and crumble them into a messy waddle destined for a garbage can. It is rare to have a politician or other leader stand up for what is right for the many, not just for the elite few; rare for them to stop, evaluate, think, ponder, struggle with the ethics of their actions and decisions.
Sometimes they are forced to. Sometimes two women step in front of an elevator and force a senator to confront the ethics of a decision. And sometimes that confrontation results in ethical action.
It is time for all of us to stop for a moment and take time to reflect on the importance of ethics, of morals, of values and virtues, and to do so with the well-being of all citizens in our minds and in our hearts.
HEALTH & FITNESS
Still fighting a cold, still dealing with a pulled groin muscle; still ran two miles in 38 minutes. Slow and steady!GOALS, DREAMS, HABITS, RITUALS
I added "Affirmations" to my morning ritual, right after meditating. I used the following affirmations, which sit on my night table. You can easily find them on the web.1. I am feeling healthy and strong today.
2. I have all that I need to make this a great day of my life.
3. I have all the information I need to solve any challenges that come up today.
4. I have the knowledge to make smart decisions for myself today.
5. I make the right choices all day using my inner wisdom.
6. I am happy and content with my life.
7. I am patient and calm and greet the day with ease.
8. I am filled with gratitude and kindness for another day on this earth.
No comments:
Post a Comment