If you do something wrong and no-one sees you do it

@pilbara (1436)
Australia
March 29, 2007 8:11pm CST
do you still class it as doing something wrong? This was a discussion I was having earlier with a teenager and their view was that doing something wrong is ok as long as you don't get seen or caught doing it. Several other teenagers agree with this, although I obviously don't. I think if it's wrong to do if someone can see you then it's equally wrong to do it at any other time.
3 people like this
7 responses
• Canada
30 Mar 07
I agree with you , doing something wrong is wrong weather you are seen doing it or not . When you do something wrong even if no one see's that you did it you still have to live with the fact that you did something wrong and you can't deny to yourself that what you did was wrong , if you did then you would only be lying to yourself and to no one else .
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@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
That is exactly what I mean, if it's wrong to do it when you can be seen, the fact that no-one can see you does not make it any less wrong.
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@davis123 (507)
• United States
30 Mar 07
thats like saying a killed a man but no one saw me so i guess i didnt do anything well than again maybe not something that bad but i think its still bad no matter if any one sees u or not if its someting bad its something bad
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@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
That would be an extreme example, but I agree with that.
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@trinihd (996)
• United States
30 Mar 07
Of course it's still wrong! That's why there is such a thing as integrity. Persons with integrity will readily admit that a thing is wrong whether or not someone witnesses it. Of course, one can admit wrong but still not feel bad about something if it's one of those things where they feel the rules are archaic so they don't harbour guilt about doing something that is classified as wrong by certain standards to which they do not subscribe. And don't get me wrong now, I am not talking about the people who say holy war is right because they are doing it in the name of their god because I do not believe that, and that is entirely another discussion. What I mean is for instance the rule about not merging into the left lane before the traffic light turns green for persons entering that lane. In my opinion, that is a silly rule (in our country we have it, I don't know about others) because I feel that merging into the left lane can be done quite safely if one (knows how to and) drives defensively, especially since you do not have to cross traffic....so in a case like that, while the act may be classed as wrong, I would not feel much guilt about it.
• United States
30 Mar 07
I definitely disagree with that. Whenever I do something wrong, I always feel guilty about it, even when no one saw, or I wasn't caught. I don't understand how kids are growing up with this mentality. I was always taught if something is wrong, don't do it, no matter what. Where are they getting the ideas that it's ok? Someone must be teaching them that, probably by example.
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@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
That is exactly what I mean. I would feel guilty also and I certainly would not be encouraging children to think that way.
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@Zalvor (727)
• Turkey
30 Mar 07
There is something called conscience you know. I guess people should be more conscious of conscience :) There is no thing like "nobody knows". If you know it, it is enough, for all is one. It was said once "Everything is known, nothing is remembered". I forgot who said it though :)
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@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
Precisely. I once read a story about a man who made parts for things and he went to the trouble of making them perfectly both in terms of action but also in terms of the way they looked. Someone asked him why he bothered since no-one would see them, his response was that every time he saw the machine the parts were in, he would know they weren't as good as they could be and he wouldn't like that feeling so he did the best possible job.
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@Zalvor (727)
• Turkey
30 Mar 07
Excellent philosophy.
@MrBurt (49)
• Canada
30 Mar 07
that depends on what you mean by wronge. if your more talking about "is it wronge to brake the rules if you don't get caught" then that also depends on the reason you don't brake teh rules. if theres a law i do not follow it because it's a law i either fallow it because i already have morals that stop me from doing it (like killing some one, if there wasn't a law i still wouldnt' kill any one) or because i don't wnat to get caught and have the penalty (such as speeding). but if your talking about somethign thats just wrong then of course it's still wrong because it's wrong... wrong doesn't change in that respect but the deffinition changes from person to person
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@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
I know what you mean and certainly there are degrees. Your example of speeding is a good one, a similar one is disabled parking. I wouldn't park in a disabled spot even if there were lots of spare ones as it is not only against the law but inconsiderate just in case someone who needs the spot turns up. But there are lots of people who would do this and they make excuses to themselves like I'm only going to be a minute or well there's lots of empty spaces or I'm in a hurry.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Mar 07
I think that's a typical teenage mentality (and some adults). Yes, it is still wrong even if you don't get caught. I try to do the right thing all the time even when I think no one's watching. You never know, there could be someone there to see it when you think you're alone. Or, there are ways that someone can find out that you did it afterwards. Besides, God is always watching.
@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
I agree about the teenagers - although many of them do grow out of it by the time they reach the age of this group (16-17). But you're right, I know quite a few adults who feel it is ok to break rules or do something they know is wrong as long as they don't get caught out. It is a shame that they then teach this to their children by providing that as an example.
1 person likes this