What do you think your "ethics" are? *admittedly long*

United States
May 5, 2009 5:02am CST
Let’s take a brief look at ethics. Ethics is a complicated subject with many different areas that it can cover but I would like to take a look at personal ethics that you deal with in day to day life. The dictionary definition of ethics is as follows: 1. a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture. 2. The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics. 3. Moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence. 4. That branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions. Ok so this gives us a bit of something to go on. Ethics is a system of moral principles. Personal ethics are having to do with your own personal moral principles. But if that is the case then how can we say that someone does or does not live an ethical life? If personal ethics is based on personal moral principles then how do we determine what is or is not ethical behavior? One might say that this could be based on some common sense type things such as, not lying, standing by your word, having proof before making accusations, however not everyone has the same common sense. Common sense is defined as: sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence. If common sense is based on normal, native intelligence then not everyone will have the same common sense. What is common sense to one person might be ludicrous or unheard of by another. So how do we choose our personal ethics? How do we live ethically with other people in the world who are living by their own set of ethics? We choose our personal ethics because of life experiences and because of who we are and even how we were raised. My personal ethics have to do with living an honest life and not concerning myself in other people’s lives unless invited to do so. What you do in your life is not my business until it harms me or affects me in some way. My personal ethics believe that unless I see it or can prove it then I have no right to accuse another of doing something or saying something. My personal ethics are not to talk about others behind their backs or spread rumors. My personal ethics consist of many more things along this line or of this nature, but not everyone has these same types of ethics. Because my ethics consist of these things I live my life in this way. I also have been living my life as if others have the same basic ethics and I’m quickly learning this is not so. What are your "personal ethics"? Do you live by them? (in other words do you walk your talk) Do you find it difficult to live by YOUR ethics and get along with others in the world who live by different ethics?
2 responses
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
1 Jul 09
Thank you so much sisterjinx....I appreciate your choosing my response as 'best'.
• United States
1 Jul 09
You are very welcome. thank you for responding to this. When I read your response I was simply moved it was so well written and hit some wonderful points. Just had to be chosen the best. I can't imagine anyone hitting it better.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
30 Jun 09
Do unto others, as you would have done unto you. No one can 100% live by their morals or values. We often stumble and fall in our walk of life. I believe that to help others in their walk by sharing what you have learned in your walk is part of being ethical. There are behaviors that work, and behaviors that don't work. To be an example, to teach those who are searching for answers...this is what I would want done for me...so I try to do this for others. There are absolutes...and it is difficult to find them and live by them. Human nature looks for what is easy and tries, like water, to find the path of least resistance. A person with strong ethical leanings...will rise above the rest and take the road that is higher. Forgiveness is necessary. To forgive others for failing. To forgive yourself for failing. This is part of being ethical too. To realize we are all in the same boat....and we all need each other.