STATUS AND POSITION versus MORAL VALUES AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

STATUS AND POSITION versus MORAL VALUES AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

When I joined the Navy, many of us confused rank, position and status with ethical and moral standards.

We young officers were naive and idealistic.

We assumed that just because an officer had been promoted to high rank it could be ipso facto presumed that he had high moral values and ethical standards.

Soon, after seeing a number of senior military officers embroiled in scams and indulging in unethical activities, we realized that our presumption, linking ethics and rank, was wrong, and status and position should not be confused for standards of morality.

This is true in the civilian world as well.

The honesty and integrity of a person is in no way correlated with his intellectual development or his position in the hierarchy or material factors like wealth, rank, seniority, status, success. 

Almost every day we see news about high ranking politicians, bureaucrats, military officers and other “distinguished” persons with high status and in top positions getting embroiled in Scams and indulging in unethical activities.

Have you not read news about even the most intellectually gifted persons (like Vice Chancellors of Universities) getting embroiled in corrupt activities? 

A quote by Alexander Orlov sums it up in a nutshell:

“Honesty and Loyalty may be often more deeply ingrained in the make-up of simple and humble people than in men of high position. 

A man who was taking bribes when he was a constable does not turn honest when he becomes the Chief of Police; the only thing that changes is the size of the bribe. 

Weakness of character and inability to withstand temptation remains with the man no matter how high he climbs.” 

It is true isn’t it? 

A person’s Values and Ethical traits accompany a man to the highest rungs of his career.

You see so many poor persons who are honest and so many rich persons who are corrupt. 

This is because whether a person becomes corrupt or not depends on his values and not on his needs.

Also, in today’s world corruption has no social stigma. 

A corrupt man who is rich gets more respect in society than a poor man who is honest.

That is why you must not confuse status and position for standards of morality and ethics.

An individual’s outward status has got nothing to do with his inner values.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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