Integrity And Why People Do Bad Things

Three people have dominated my thinking on integrity for some time now. Benny Madoff, Lance Armstrong, Kwesi Nyantakyi. From all indications, my moral compass is urging me to calibrate its sensitivity.

Mr. Benny Madoff was a high ranking member of NASDAQ. He started his career from humble beginnings reaching the millions. Everyone looked up to Madoff. As his fame and status got higher some unethical prodding kicked in. He ended up running the biggest Ponzi scheme in US history to the tune of about 64.8 billion USD. He was a wizard of lies!

Seven tour de France titles in the bag, millions of dollars in the bank, adoring fans from all over the world. Meet Lance Armstrong. No one in history ever achieved the feet he reached in the world of pro-cycling. His name was indelibly inscribed in the book of records until he got busted for the wrong reasons. Mr. Armstrong has thrown dust into our eyes. He has been doping, he cheated his way to the top.

Now let’s play some football, shall we? Nothing unites all Ghanaians despite our political, religious, economic, ethnic and tribal differences like football. We love it. The entire nation stands on its feet when the ball enters the net. The drums beat, the trumpets sound and we all jubilate shoulder to shoulder.

Now, what happens when the scene described above is dealt a heavy blow by corruption right from the zenith of our football administration?

It’s time for reflection. It’s time for auditing. It’s time for ethical baptism. I do not necessarily get shocked when people do bad things. What I am amazed by is how little we reflect on our capacity to do unspeakable things. For one to develop the fortitude not to cross moral boundaries I think one ought to see himself in the act with delight. I want to explore this further.

Every man has his price, the secret is knowing what that price is.

In the movie “The men who built America”, JP Morgan decided to buy Carnegie steel at a time most people thought the price tag will be too big for anyone to buy. Mr. Morgan asked Andrew Carnegie to name his price- 480 million USD. To his surprise, J.P Morgan agreed to pay the money to acquire Carnegie steel. What followed afterward was more interesting. Andrew Carnegie was not satisfied after the agreement was closed. He wish he had asked for more.

What is it about money that the one who has silver is not satisfied, the one who has gold is equally not satisfied? Is it any wonder that it is dubbed the root of all kinds of evil? Immediately we get into the driving seat of a project or deal that involves money, most of us will ignore all road signs.

Among the many lies humans tell, the worst is lying to ourselves.

Among the many paradoxes of human life, this is perhaps the most peculiar and consequential: We often behave in ways that are guaranteed to make us unhappy. Many of us spend our lives marching with open eyes toward remorse, regret, guilt, and disappointment. And nowhere do our injuries seem more casually self-inflicted, or the suffering we create more disproportionate to the needs of the moment than in the lies we tell to other human beings. Lying is the royal road to chaos.- Sam Harris

People lie for many reasons. Some think they are obligated to lie about their abilities in order to get ahead in this competitive world. Others try to cover up errors or guilt with lies. Still, others falsify reports to give the impression that they have done work they have not done. Then there are those who lie to damage another’s reputation, to avoid embarrassment, to justify previous lies, or to defraud people of their money.

There are things we sometimes know to be lies yet we go on to peddle to ourselves and others. We know we cannot affect that deal yet we confidently push for it. We know we are in an abusive relationship yet we put on a smiling face. We know we cannot afford that lifestyle yet we paint the image of abundance. The compound effect applies to lying too. Small lies will lead to hell in the long run.

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

The human conscience is an inward faculty that either accuses or excuses a person’s thoughts, words, and actions. The conscience does not determine what is right or wrong rather it merely judges one based on the standard of conduct the person has adopted. It is clear, therefore, that the conscience must be sharpened and constantly cultivated to remain sensitive to wrongdoing. A dull conscience is the devil’s instrument. There are some people who let their consciences gradually erode, eventually they slip over the edge and do terrible things of which others never dreamed them capable.

I have come to believe that there is nothing hidden in the dark that will not be revealed under the sun. It is just a matter of time. In the age of technological acceleration, we don’t even need the man in the sky to monitor our underhand activities. Unless the vices of today somehow morph into acceptable norms in the future, everything is naked.

Humans are not perfect I don’t even know why the word exists since it is something that cannot be attained. However, I do think that while we celebrate our successes and achievements in public, backstage we should reflect on the bad we do or could have done to get to the top.

This piece is part of my Tuesday reflections.
By Kingbert Eduako
Simple Life Coaching

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