Ethics and Self Responsibility

Leading by Example...

Published 21 October 1996???????? ??

?Dear Editor:

?What Happen to Ethics and Self Responsibility?

???????????? I write this opinion looking at our community, politics, business, and today's changing world.

??????????? Recently, I looked into the tired eyes of a former Yugoslavian immigrant couple, whom manage my apartment building.? What I saw made me think twice about our world.? I saw the trying times they have traveled through and their hope.? I am moved because daily they strive to clean the area and give the place the spirit of life.? The husband spoke to me with disfavor after picking up trash around the building.? He said that America is a nation of peoples, whom have lost value in the word 'freedom'.? For they only liter upon it, i.e. have no respect for it, and not just today's youth.? An example enforcing this across our culture is a McArch commercial that shows a elder man cleaning up after a local baseball game cussing at youth.

??????????? America was and can be a place were people would stand strong and to call themselves 'Americans'?? Today, we have 'grown' more diverse and politically correct, but may have lost our bonding catalyst to that end.?

??????????? Being an election year, politics is a prime example.? Campaigns arguably have dropped to a new low.? It seems that principles are no longer the platform, from which he/she springs from.? Rather the candidate's ride a political roller coaster curving through his/her strategists' damage control, blasting past 30 second sound bits as their pollsters plot their progress, and making promises they may not be able to achieve.? I must admit, polls may present evidence that the electorate is either immune to or has shut off from this political freedom.? I look forward to a return of candidates as leaders, not followers.? History has mixed conclusions regarding negative campaigns.? Such a tactic may have an initial polling boost, but can revert back with un-calculable after effects.? (Note, if polls are historically so correct, there may have not been Presidents Clinton, Truman and maybe Yelstin.)

??????????? Is this any different in today's competitive business world?? The book, The Ethical Manager, illustrates a fictional dilemma of a manager struggling between a potential job promotion via hiring an 'insider' and upholding ethical principles.? Many may also have become immune to this issue as well, for their rational is that the end not the means represents the bottom line.? Within the workplace, this issue has become a double sided sword of animosity.? From the employees' perspective, they may feel that the there is no longer loyalty in its employees and vis versa employees sense that as the top 'leans' the company security has been lost and each position is but another transitional point to the next.? I hold to my belief, although maybe be naive, that this country was built on the backbone of hard work, earning an honest buck, and the freedom to capitalize on opportunities.?

??????????? Each and everyone must reflect and answer what is 'success'.? Success can be happiness, fame, financial fortune, and/or the making a difference.? Maybe the root of decay in ethics and self responsibility is in the 'me generation' and 'now' at any cost mentality.? This decay is amplified via a belief that prosperity is a right, and someone else will fund and clean-up the broken pieces.? America was and can continue to stand as a country of dreams and freedom to pursue individual happiness.? Opportunity is that which we make of it and it is framed within the community one resides.?

???????????? This concern is not just here in America.?

??????????? Europe, arguably stemming from its kingdoms, has moved to 'civil societies' towards a single union often creating welfare states in its wake.? But its economy(ies) is struggling.? What is holding their growth back?? What drives political and economical growth?? Simply, it is the choices and work of its citizens.

??????????? Finally, I have witnessed this struggle while in Russia as well.? My first trip in 1987, I saw clean streets and side walks (note it was then a criminal offence to litter).?? I have returned several times, as a member of the first US Peace Corps Volunteers, many of my friends would snicker or give strange looks to me as I would habitually pick up litter.? They would tell me that I could not make a difference.?

??????????? Continually, I am reminded of a AIESEC poster of a story entitled "That's Not My Job".?

??????????? **"This is a story is about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.? There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.? Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.? Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.? Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that.? Everybody would not do it.? It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have."?

??????????? We each have the responsibility to act or the freedom to watch and wonder why our dreams, families, fortunes, relationships, and cultures may have drifted like an unguided ship in a windy sea.

??????????? I challenge each and everyone to re-read the story above and make your choice.? We each live within a community, but the community is formed by individuals like you and me.

?Thomas Ward

and more per the 3rd of series on the IMF-World Bank 2024 Spring Annual meetings on New Normal Complancy and Corruption https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7187140143907057664?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28ugcPost%3A7187140143907057664%2C7187947203951304704%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287187947203951304704%2Curn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A7187140143907057664%29 UNLE$$ https://lnkd.in/gTxzYY_k

The need of true reporting and fundemental market pricing vs driven by technical trading ( 80% of WallStreet is on autopilot https://lnkd.in/gvsQ7ruS

) in light of Years of QE and Keynesian spend, spend, spend in support to Industrial Policy of US Pork projects https://lnkd.in/eXV-s6ic End CRs? https://lnkd.in/eE_wnFBu and https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7187049870023684098?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7187049870023684098%2C7188503181067198465%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287188503181067198465%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7187049870023684098%29 & https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7188288189487362048?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7188288189487362048%2C7188357342659248129%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287188357342659248129%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7188288189487362048%29 resulting in Debt and Bankruptcy https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_12-major-us-cities-on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy-activity-7184634500658647042-twZE and globally https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_home-activity-7184555694166024193-ciSM Broader does the US have the tool set to address and stand firm? https://lnkd.in/er7qkBUG

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_age-of-easy-money-frontline-activity-7042525373963665408-c7kQ? Your thoughts??

Moral hazard?https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/activity-7043212588054155264-zeby with the Is it the end of the golden age of easy money? US Govt Budget suggests otherwise. Independent Fed? PBS Frontline - Age of Easy Money https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/age-of-easy-money/ and a prior the Power of the Fed https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_frontline-the-power-of-the-fed-season-activity-6821575884999270400-ZciS

Real Estate source of debts, contagion and Wars?https://lnkd.in/g45EtXE7?1 of 3 comments?

Driven by an Economy of War?https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7137332140119142400?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7137332140119142400%2C7138453612111794178%29 and repeating that of the 40s Build it and they will come in field of dream$ FDR / 2004 UCLA study https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6667798882954608640?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A6667798882954608640%2C6667799624138465280%29? ?WSJ - China mega projects facing problems and more debt?https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_chinas-global-mega-projects-are-falling-activity-7022423935405195264-t73s??

Are we almost back to normal? and elections ahead... democracy&freedom https://lnkd.in/gMuEK7sy#

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/dr-ivana-b-2045155_focus-on-good-the-world-health-organization-activity-7188404558711209987-2wUu

Do not worry, TECH and AI will be our saving FIX https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/trward_digitalnomads-globaleconomy-digitaltransformation-activity-7186366960568328192-M22-

#ethics #development #economics #sustainability #imf #worldbank #un