Why follow some idealistic code of decision making if society rewards the cheaters and dirty-dealers? Why don't nice guys finish first?
2007-03-10 15:03:32 · 15 answers · asked by Nod 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Ethical behavior leaves you with a very clean feeling when dealing with gutter fighters. Even when you lose. You fought a good clean fight and did not compromise you ideals. Despite it all, you walk away with head held high knowing you behaved nobly. In short, you did it your way.
2007-03-10 15:21:04 · answer #1 · answered by Sophist 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cheaters and dirty dealers are not always rewarded as you suggest. Sometimes they are and sometimes they finish behind bars. As to nice guys not finishing first it depends how you define your finish line. I know a lot of decent people who are doing very well without resorting to cheating and taking advantage of other people.
Ethics is something you have or you don't. The value of having ethics is clear conscience and good night sleep. You don't have to worry that some dirty dealing will catch up with you one day. You don't have to deal with guilt.
Besides, I believe (though I have no scientific proof :-)) that what goes around comes around and bad things happen to bad people.
2007-03-10 15:25:26 · answer #2 · answered by woman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very good question? I think the point we have to remember is that ethics is man made, so maybe its not spot on. For example, does a lion feel bad for kiiling a gazelle? What about a neandrethal killing another? Does a 3 year old feel bad for hitting another? My opinion is 'NO'. These are all learned, not innate, and thus nothing more than following a cult if you will. Most interesting, if you agree with No being the correct answer for the above examples, when did shame, guilt, empathy and sympathy appear, as surely those all now exist. More twisted, is why do they exist, who do they benefit and why are they perpetuated???
2007-03-10 15:12:29 · answer #3 · answered by Nick l 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sum it up in one word. Karma. Doing the ethical thing will bring your self good karma, not being ethical will bring bad karma. It may seem as though the unethical people get rewarded or win but the whole story isn't usually told or played out yet to reap the benefits, Good or bad.
2007-03-10 15:59:09 · answer #4 · answered by stephenmwells 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nice guys mostly finish first over the long run.
cehaters are great at short term goals but eventually...people are onto them.
remember that guy who tried to sell real estate advice? the couple who said they will invest their own money for your own good investment finds? mail order fraud.
they will succeed in the short term but will end up in a lot of trouble eventually as the above mentioned have.
there is a reason why laws were created...they apply to most (not all) people for equitable treatment. there will be a few (good and bad) that will slip through the cracks.
or:
you can choose not to believe me and become a sneaky creepy idiot lying and cheating your way to success. you'll see how far you get...the hard way!!!
2007-03-10 15:28:09 · answer #5 · answered by jkk k 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, it looks like you are using different measuring sticks in the question. If you are a "nice guy", in an ethical sense you have finished first. It's when you consider material possessions to have intrinsic value that the question of non-ethical issues would arise.
2007-03-10 15:22:32 · answer #6 · answered by Michael Myklin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply bet on the outcome in accord with Pascal's wager: "Either God exists, or He does not..." Blaise Pascal was a brilliant, pleasant, and comical 17th century French physicist, mathematician, theologian, essayist, and philosopher. Together with Pierre Fermat, Pascal was the inventor of game theory. As Yogi Berra used to say, "You could look it up!" If you want something to read while waiting, try his "Provincial Letters." They're centuries out of copyright, and the Church has taken them off the banned books list, so they're LMAO on the internet for free.
2007-03-10 15:22:58 · answer #7 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The value of being ethical is a reward in and of itself.
2007-03-10 15:12:35 · answer #8 · answered by nylatinanurse 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can you live with yourself if you are not ? The value lies within ..being ethical is it's own reward . The greedy & dishonest eventually get their's . No one gets out scott free .
2007-03-10 18:10:08 · answer #9 · answered by missmayzie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a question that I'm sure everyone deals with at one time or another.Especially in this time of human history,where so many immoral people rise to the top of society.I can only tell you that even in my lifetime,I have seen so many unethical people fall from their lofty perches.It is almost if you concentrate hard enough or will this scum to fall from "grace" it will be done.
2007-03-10 15:38:51 · answer #10 · answered by Michael R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋