Jyotsna added some valuable insight into my story about the Rolex
watch:
> This is all very well for the virtue of honesty, but what about the
> virtue of acting responsibly ? I think that the appropriate thing to
> do woud be to pick it up and act responsibly by reporting it to a
> lost and found agency. Someone else picking it up - do you really
> know it will be the owner who picks it up ?
>... what if the finder had, for example, a hungry family ? Would it
> still be worth it to keep walking ? Would it be worth it to allow
> your family to go hungry to indulge in some 'feel-good' principle
> like honesty ?
This all relates to a recent post about the hierarchy of values.
Which is the higher value? Which, in the circumstances of the moment,
with whatever is at stake, is the value which can be sacrificed for
the higher value.
If someone else picks it up and keeps it, his actions aren't your
responsiblity. Your actions are your responsibility. And keeping
your actions in tune with your own values is the important part of
life.
Feeding your family may be more important than being honest? Does this
mean we condone the thief who steals because he wants to make money
to feed his family?
I don't believe in murder. I also believe in protecting my family. I
will protect my family and kill if I have to, if someone is
threatening my family. Values and circumstances are flexible for most
people. There is true power if you truly comitt to your values.
Gary Scherling
Helping people help themselves
--GSCHERL@fed.ism.ca (GSCHERL)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>