Ethics and Humanitarian Crises

Leading with ethics is arguably the highest, most evolved state in the evolution of humanity and civilization. Sadly, however, defining ethics is one thing but being ethical is another. Though well defined, with its definition being generally accepted over the thousands of years it has taken to define it, ethics is defined as a verb that can quickly become a mere noun when human beings feel threatened.

Just like the human body has a hard-wired in set point for what we should each weight, if we begin to lose too much weight and drop far below our established set point our body will fight back as hard as it can to retain any food we eat so that we don't starve to death.

Just as internal responses are "hard wired in", so are external responses to existential threats. From Quakers, to indigenous people, to colonists, to those being colonized, world history is replete with stories of the "fights and flights" that have ensued under such circumstances.

Yet, it is under such circumstances that we must be careful not to put ethics on the shelf or forget that ethics is about civilization and is the glue that keep societies together. We are remined that the very reason Aristotle and the Greek philosophers were pondering ethics was their attempt to answer the age-old question: How should civilized and principled members of society behave in different situations in order to do the right and best thing that can be done under the given circumstances?

Dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, for instance, Stoicism?emphasized focusing on the things we can control—our thoughts, emotions, and actions. According to the teachings of Stoicism, by adhering to “4 Cardinal Virtues”—wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice—people could lead a better, happier, and more fulfilling life.

In modern times, the “social contract” became a turning point in our thinking about ethics. The purpose of the contract was to transform people and change them from being “solitary, poor, nasty, and brutish” by encouraging individuals to leave the state of nature in order to enter?civil society. The basis of the social contract was that in return for individuals giving up some of their personal freedom, or wild natural selves, to be ruled by governing bodies in prescribed manners—civil governments had to protect the natural rights of each person, including the right to private property. Essentially, the social contract was intended to serve two purposes: To provide PEACE and to PROTECT PROPERTY.

Sadly, today, we are too often faced with the question of whose peace and whose property at what cost?

While there may not be a single and immutable answer to these questions, one thing seems clear: the world would be better off if everyone individually and collectively led with ethics in their thinking and actions. Turn ethics back into a verb and do things with it, let it help guide us in answering the question of what is right and what is wrong--let being ethical lead us to making the right decisions, to caring about our treatment of our fellow man, and to trying to adhere to ethical cardinal virtues in our dealings with each other no matter how threatened we might be in any circumstance-- in the workplace, in a relationship, in a community, or even in war.

At the center of humanity is humans and to elevate the quality or condition of being human we must lead with ethics and we, in all societies, need to be taught how to do this. Are children in schools being taught ethics, and if so, do such teachings emphasize taking personal responsibility and being held accountable for our actions? How about adults, where do we turn to find examples and role models of ethical behavior?

In conclusion, ethics has always been a central concern in societies—and it always will be. Ultimately, however, it is up to each individual to act ethically, to be committed being so in order to shine a positive light for others to see. My hope we all find the light within ourselves and in others, as the two boys on different sides shown in this article.

Sharon T. Freeman Ph.D.

President, www.gemsofwisdomconsulting.com

Author: Ethics Seen Through the Lens of the Black American Experience: How Does It Look? (2020) www.gemsofwisdomconsulting.com/books