A philosopher, Kant, argued that there is such a thing as a "moral imperative". People need to do what is right, no matter the consequences. According to Kant, right is right and it is as simple as that. Ask yourself,
"Would I want someone else to make the same decision as me?"
If the answer is, "No," then the decision is wrong. It sounds simple enough, but can anyone really live up to these expectations?
Would you speak up at a meeting and disagree when the boss is yelling at one of your co-workers? Or would you sit there quietly, embarrassed, and say nothing? If you had been hired for a job as a manager and you hadn't the faintest idea how to do budgets, would you quit the job, take some classes at the college, or would you just hope for the best, that you didn't run out of money before the end of the year? What would you do?
We commonly hear the excuse,
"I would do it but I have to support my children. If I lose my job, my kids will do without."
We, too, have children and we have been faced with choices that might, and sometimes did, cost us our jobs. In the end, we came to the conclusion that the most important thing we could give our children was a parent they could look up to, an example of an ethical person who has the courage to stand up for their beliefs and do what is right.
Can you imagine one of our ancestors saying this,
"What if I was killed in battle? Who would feed my children? The rest of you Sioux warriors go on ahead. I have to think of my kids."
Does it make you laugh to even imagine that? Then how have we gotten to this position today?