If you witness a robbery, would you report it to the police?
Would you feel compassion for the robber because he would spend a few years in jail coz of you or would you feel outraged at the crime being committed against a fellow citizen?
What if you are not sure if it is actually a robbery?
What if the robber threatens your life?
What if the robber agrees to share a part of the loot with you?
Would the above answers change if the robber was robbing your own house?
In today's world, things are not always black and white. They are a varying shade of grey. A chief minister legally buys land in an area before a highway is announced through it, is perhaps not committing a crime but is definitely taking advantage of the trust bestowed upon him by the people. A minister buying stock options in a company before changing policies to favor that company, is, while following the law to the letter is breaking its spirit. An employee sharing work issues with spouse would not even know when he is committing breach of confidentiality.
In class VII (or was it X), a complained against a classmate for cheating in the exam. I warned him to not do it as I was getting disturbed, but he continued. I have never forgotten the bashing he received from the invigilator as he denied it. And when he finally admitted to the guilt he was debarred from the exam. Not much harm done in the long run, he is a successful doctor as of today and we are still friends. But on that day, I felt bad. Really bad because I did not want him to loose out a year because he cheated in the exam.
I am in a similar dilemma today. A fraud has been committed. I need to choose between the ethically right vs the stretched version of truth. Now I fully appreciate why integrity breach is considered so difficult to deal with. But you gotta do what you gotta do.
Would you feel compassion for the robber because he would spend a few years in jail coz of you or would you feel outraged at the crime being committed against a fellow citizen?
What if you are not sure if it is actually a robbery?
What if the robber threatens your life?
What if the robber agrees to share a part of the loot with you?
Would the above answers change if the robber was robbing your own house?
In today's world, things are not always black and white. They are a varying shade of grey. A chief minister legally buys land in an area before a highway is announced through it, is perhaps not committing a crime but is definitely taking advantage of the trust bestowed upon him by the people. A minister buying stock options in a company before changing policies to favor that company, is, while following the law to the letter is breaking its spirit. An employee sharing work issues with spouse would not even know when he is committing breach of confidentiality.
In class VII (or was it X), a complained against a classmate for cheating in the exam. I warned him to not do it as I was getting disturbed, but he continued. I have never forgotten the bashing he received from the invigilator as he denied it. And when he finally admitted to the guilt he was debarred from the exam. Not much harm done in the long run, he is a successful doctor as of today and we are still friends. But on that day, I felt bad. Really bad because I did not want him to loose out a year because he cheated in the exam.
I am in a similar dilemma today. A fraud has been committed. I need to choose between the ethically right vs the stretched version of truth. Now I fully appreciate why integrity breach is considered so difficult to deal with. But you gotta do what you gotta do.
