Morals (adj.) – relating to principles of right and wrong. Conforming to a right behavior. Capable of right and wrong.
Ethics (noun) – a set of moral principles: a theory or system of moral values. The principles of conduct governing an individual or a group. A guiding philosophy. A consciousness of moral importance. A set of moral issues or aspects (such as rightness).
Appologies for the ethics class but I believe this to be of importance for this topic. Basically, moral values are internal to each of what and what we perceive to be right or wrong. Although, the value of right and wrong is complex in its nature as it is very subjective. Ethics comes from the external values that are implemented onto us and have to be followed as a ‘system’ (as the law). I could be wrong as I am not an expert but I would love to discuss this further in the comments if you so wish.
This topic has been on my phone notes for quite some time. I believe I wrote it down after I witnessed a security guy at ASDA telling an old lady ’sorry ma’am, store policy’. I think she only wanted to get in the store to check on her daughter but there was a queue. Yes, I suppose this was in the beginning of the pandemic we are still facing.
It got me thinking. Do you change your morals and values when working? Do you put your values first or the store policy?
Then, this lead me into to a thought-path.
I am an avid consumer of WW2 documentaries and books and prison stories. Primarily because I am fascinated with the nature of the human being and its ethics. I believe that ‘outside’ I can have a notion of the best in us and with these stories and documentaries I can see our worst (not wanting to put us all in the same bag).
After the war, the guards at the many concentration camps when asked ‘Why did you do it?’ most answered with ‘It was a command, I was only following what I was being told’.
Does this make it right? No. That’s why the ones identified were put into prison for their acts but still many got away or died with the time.
I would like to make a bold comparison between this and store policies and rules as an employee. If you see something unfair happening in your place of employment, do you contest it or implement it?
I don’t have any experiences with this as the companies I was a part of, in my view, never asked me to do anything ‘unfair’. However, I have seen people following the rules religiously when, in my view, it should be considered an exception.
We are all in this world together and all we have is each other. Let’s try not to make life more difficult than it is already.
I would like for my words to be taken in and reflected upon. We all have our area of work, our way of life, we are all integrated in a cob-web of connections. Reflect on morals and ethics, debate upon them, issue change, create a difference.
Let’s grow together. This world is not fair but we can make it more fair.
Go out of your way, reward kindness, we need everyone on this.
Reference for the meanings:
Random Chipmunk 