How low you go!

We read this case study in HR once, ‘how low you can go’. It was particularly about clinching a business deal by satisfying clients' unethical demands. The two marketing guys have to decide if they agree to it. The one against supplying Russian chicks to satiate the customer believed that besides it being unethical and debased, they may have to fulfill his other even more unreasonable demands later on. The other contested, if they don't do it now, somebody else shall do it and they will eventually end up losing the business. I wasn't very observant of HR case studies as it was not my major subject, but this one still intrigues me. Personally, over time from first year of MBA to 3 years into corporate world, i've shifted my inclination towards the latter guy- grab the deal, everything's fair in business; we'll worry later about what next is demanded. So does that mean, i'm now 'lowerer'…

So who decides black & white, how do we know if something is unscrupulous, how do you actually evaluate conscience. Yes, upbringing and society has to with it. But no parents teach their kids to dope or cheat in exams. I've observed whenever we have a dilemma over if this is the correct thing to do, the secret is, we always know what we want in the first place. We just start justifying the act. Like, cheating on one's wife. One may justify it by saying...my wife doesn't have time for me anyway, all she does is crib about kids and expenses and chores and her weight. She nags me incessantly, we have fights almost all the time, our sex life is zilch, and she doesn't even cook my favorite dish anymore. I work hard from day to night, poor man deserves some happiness, some relaxation, some love (even if purely carnal)....i'll tell her that I have to stay overnight in office for a presentation coming up next week. I'll lie that I may be promoted soon, at least it'll make her less pesky about it.

Or as simple as jumping a red light. We say to ourselves, what a useless junction to put up traffic light, it’s actually become a bottleneck here. Traffic too isn’t much at this hour...no cop on duty I see. Think i'll save some time; after all India is actually winning after such a long time. I always have to settle for highlights....Prashant does it all the time. And you drive through. Now many more such red-lights will follow and you'll hit the pedal much sooner.

There are so many acts we commit over life which to an observer sitting outside may pronounce as 'wrong', but in our train of thought the heart and mind reaches a reconciliation where we follow the heart and mind gets us the morally legal getaway. While we do this we have mentally set our ethical bar an inch lower, so that this particular act can cross the threshold in future without much mental negotiation to the territory marked 'correct'. We progressively keep indulging and keep lowering the bar till....probably till one can keeps getting away with it...till one can digest the fear of being nabbed or convicted. It was very long back, but a very senior person in our organization, well known for his candid remarks at the most inopportune time once said, "We all would have been rapists, it is only for the law we don't dare". Of course, the quantum of immorality attributed to different actions will vary and some, to society at large may even appear innocent (like fagging! because so many patronize it), but committing every such deed is like making headway towards being unprincipled…for some little by little and for some in leaps and bounds.

Ok, so I’ve pretty much covered up my sins :), but do we ever raise this slab. Surely we must be, otherwise all oldies would be outlaws. Take our parents. They are honest tax payers, perfect couple, don't cut corners, follow traffic rules, don't smoke..blah blah.......Or do they hide all this from their kids efficiently their entire life to put up a ideal family picture. Or are they too tired for any more adventures. Or they're too scared to reveal.

But for sure, nobody lives a guiltless life like Forrest Gump.

Mmm....I found it hard it's hard to find.....Oh well whatever never mind...hello, hello, hello...how low???