Why ethics is important – again!

Quite a while ago I wrote a short piece about the importance of ethics. The importance of ethics today seems to be ignored, forgotten or, being charitable, it could be said that the idea is misunderstood. I now revisit this subject.

Just think about it – the basis of unethical conduct is usually injustice and dishonesty. This is often (in a corporate sense) covered by layers of “spin” – a public relations version of events. It is therefore sometimes very difficult to distinguish falsehood from the truth. And individually we all try to justify our actions in some way or another – no one over wants to be seen as “not good”. Companies, organisations and governments are no different.

As I pointed out in an earlier post a Melbourne court has heard explosive allegations from the whistleblower at the centre of foreign bribery allegations against senior officials at the two bank note printing subsidiaries of Reserve Bank of Australia (the RBA).

The whistleblower, Brian Hood, claims long-held concerns about kickbacks were steadfastly ignored and that the RBA was aware of them as far back as 2007. His statement also raised questions about the ethics and business culture of management and of his (unethical) treatment by the RBA – which I might say is typical of that visited upon all whistle-blowers

Then there is some recent news about Macquarie Bank employing “rubbery figures” in its financial statements! Banks never learn do they? I suppose that the temptation with all that money around is too great for many to withstand!

There is also some disquiet about the accounting practices at the ANZ Bank (one of Australia’s “big four” banks). Dear, oh dearie me!!

Now there are new allegations about more priestly paedophilia and child abuse in both the Catholic and Anglican Churches in Australia and in a former (now closed) Government run child hostel in Western Australia.

Recently there have been comments made by those who should know better – comments that cause anguish, cause anger, distress or just disbelief that any sensible person could make them!

•  Gina Rinehart (Australia richest woman, the heiress of Hancock Prospecting) said recently that Australians must become more productive to compete with “African mineworkers who will work hard for $2.00 per day” – now some of those mineworkers are striking (and dying) for more pay and better conditions!! Go figure.

• Then there is the appalling Florida pastor Terry Jones (he who caused uproar some time ago when he tried to conduct a public burning of the Koran) who said recently that he supported and promoted a film criticizing Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (this is the movie that has caused so much violence in the Middle East and around the world). He said the outbreak of violence should be rejected and is an example of the "true nature of Islam." If he thinks that Christianity has no history of extreme violence he must be delusional! Just think about the shocking cruelty perpetrated by the Crusaders; just think about the extreme violence in Northern Ireland; just think about the Spanish Inquisition; remember the “Final Solution” visited upon European Jews by the Nazis (who were at least nominally Christians – the Pope did not condemn them); remember the “ethnic cleaning” perpetrated by (presumably) Christian Serbs on Muslims in Bosnia  – all this in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace!!

Of course there is also money. Many people will go to the most extreme lengths to acquire and/or protect the money they have. And by extreme I mean extreme – abuse, slavery, injustice, theft, fraud and murder – unethical conduct all for the sake of money! People, institutions, organisations and governments will all, at times, seemingly do anything for money.

When it comes to religion there is no one, of any religious persuasion, who will not resort to violence when so moved to do so. When people think or believe they are given licence by God they willingly perpetrate the most extreme violence against their fellow beings! They believe that “my religion is better than yours”, therefore “I must be better than you”, therefore “God will approve of whatever I do”. Injustice, abuse, unethical conduct and the perpetration of extreme violence are all acceptable if it is believed that “God is on my side”!

Why, apparently, is it so difficult for us human beings to accept that we are all part of the Human Family? After all we all came out of Africa some five million years ago! All our imagining, thoughts, desires and attachments are all similar in that we all have a basic need for food shelter and clothing; this is the prime influence in our need for self expression and self-perpetuation and which gives, in fact, the evolutionary impetus for life itself.

We have to be forced to accept the fact that no one can achieve anything on their own. We need our fellow humans; nature forces us to include others in our plans and schemes. This is what our ego finds so hard to accept – this is what our ego resists – that we are no better (or worse) than millions of fellow wayfarers on our life’s journey.   

This is why it is so important to consider our fellow human beings FIRST; to always treat them in the same way that we would like to be treated. Failure to do this causes untold (and unnecessary) misery and is very definitely unethical.