Hypothetical questions about ethics in your job field...

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2

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  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
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    depends on whether or not i agreed with it being illegal in the first place

    Pretty much this. I probably wouldn't do anything I believed was wrong for personal gain, legal or not.

    +1
  • bohica36
    bohica36 Posts: 67 Member
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    Personal integrity always wins.
  • PrettyAlaskan
    PrettyAlaskan Posts: 130 Member
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    I think it's better to go with your gut. Who knows you might be the only one that gets called out on it whatever it is. You could be the one that gets made into an example :frown:
  • Mitzki5
    Mitzki5 Posts: 482 Member
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    Think of your most respected and loved friend or family member. Would you want them to know exactly what you did? There's your answer.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    depends on whether or not i agreed with it being illegal in the first place

    Pretty much this. I probably wouldn't do anything I believed was wrong for personal gain, legal or not.

    +1

    +me too
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?
    We're talking steroids here right?

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  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?

    I wouldn't do something if I knew that if everyone were to find out that everything I worked for would be considered worthless and I would no longer be credible. Even if I was guaranteed that no one would ever find out. I wouldn't be able to live with secrets, hypocrisy, cognitive dissonance. The internal freedom that comes with honesty and integrity are worth more to me, and allows for more options in life if my priorities were to change. A person may think it is worth the gain, but later may change their mind and they won't be able to undo it.
  • smkean
    smkean Posts: 132
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    Depends, how illegal?
    Like prison or lose your job illegal or oopsie tut tut that was a bit naughty illegal?
  • Ninguneado77
    Ninguneado77 Posts: 468
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?

    I wouldn't do something if I knew that if everyone were to find out that everything I worked for would be considered worthless and I would no longer be credible. Even if I was guaranteed that no one would ever find out. I wouldn't be able to live with secrets, hypocrisy, cognitive dissonance. The internal freedom that comes with honesty and integrity are worth more to me, and allows for more options in life if my priorities were to change. A person may think it is worth the gain, but later may change their mind and they won't be able to undo it.

    Agree...building a reputation is a long process of many. many years....it is what you leave as legacy after you die...yet it can all be lost in a minute.
  • Loss4TheWin
    Loss4TheWin Posts: 249
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?

    Technically illegal? What does that mean? Isn't something either illegal or not?

    In my line of work, if I do something illegal, I can very easily lose the privilege to work. Even traffic tickets are reviewed. What other people are doing has no bearing on what I do. I could see it being very disheartening and frustrating to watch others succeed that are going about it the wrong way, but I'd just keep my head down and keep doing it my way. Breaking laws/rules would cause me waaaaay too much stress - worrying if I was going to get caught, keeping up with lies, hiding things... that's not the life I want to lead. That heart-caught-in-the-throat feeling when you think you might have gotten caught...ugh...no thanks. Imma do it right.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
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    Agree...building a reputation is a long process of many. many years..yet it can be lost in a minute.

    yep. this.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?

    "Technically illegal" means it's actually illegal and the fact that no one has been caught yet just means they are biding their time and making their case before they actually pursue legal action.

    To answer your question I would rather have my moral and personal integrity in tact as well as my business, my earnings and my possessions. It's not worth it to risk what I have worked so hard to obtain just to be competitive and to gain a small lead on the competition.
  • SerenaFisher
    SerenaFisher Posts: 2,170 Member
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    Would you hypothetically be okay with it or would you flay yourself with guilt because of it? What would make this hypothetical person ok with the decision s/he made?

    Essentially the only negative consequence would be your own personal views of yourself...
    First I wonder what everyone where anyone works could be doing something that was 'technically illegal' to further their career. If every body is doing it and it is illegal couldn't you just point that out? Certainly that would have the same result.

    Second if it is illegal the consequences wouldn't only be your own personal views, but also the ramifications of the law. :(
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
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    Depends on how good looking my boss was.

    Oh, never mind, that is not illegal. Just frowned upon like masturbating in a airplane.
  • adayinaz
    adayinaz Posts: 20 Member
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    I have a tough time doing things I wouldn't tell my family or friends about.

    Me, too. If people knew about the hypothetical action, would they think less of me? Would I be in trouble? Would my reputation be damaged? Then it's not worth it. There is *always* a way to do the right thing.
  • Erin_goBrahScience
    Erin_goBrahScience Posts: 1,215 Member
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    If you had to remain competitive in your field by doing something that was technically illegal but the only negative consequence was your own personal integrity, and virtually everyone you were competing against in your field was doing it, would you do it as well to remain competitive or would you accept the competitive disadvantage to maintain your personal integrity?

    If it's "technically illegal" you can try to justify it, but its still illegal. So there are risks posed however minute. If an when you decide that the risk it worth the reward, you can venture down the rabbit hole.

    Should consequences arise for whatever reason down the road you are ultimately at fault. Nobody made you make the choice.
  • Keto_T
    Keto_T Posts: 673 Member
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    I just left a job for being asked to sign off on things that were done "probably technically ok" but not documented correctly according to the regulatory bodies that my industry is subjected to. I signed because I needed my job but left as soon as I could find another position and am MUCH happier for it. I suck big time at spinning/ telling lies and there was no way I wanted to explain why i'd signed something I knew was wrong. So, did I do it? Yes. Did it advance me? No, but i probably would have been fired had I been "uncooperative" and THAT would have hindered me.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    in my field that would be breaking health and safety rules to do more spectacular practicals (read: blowing stuff up) to get the kids more interested in science. Or teaching human evolution in a USA state where it's outlawed to kids who want to learn about it.

    the former I wouldn't because I'm not a chemistry specialist and don't know how to break safety rules without being actually unsafe. The latter yes I would.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    I have a tough time doing things I wouldn't tell my family or friends about.

    hmm. you must have skipped ages 16 - 23 or so. i've done a lot in my past i wouldn't want select family/friends to know about.

    but then, i'm quite a private individual.

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