Welcome back to Everyday Ethics, where we explore the choices we make and the illusions that shape them. Last week we asked why ethics matters. This week we ask something harder: What’s your ethical theory and do you actually live by it?
Now, before “theory” sends you running for the door, hear this. We all have one. Whether we know it or not, something guides our choices.
Maybe you are a rule follower, someone who believes right and wrong are set by clear principles or laws, and following them is what makes you ethical (yes, the person waiting at a red light at 3 a.m.).
Maybe you are a consequence calculator, someone who decides what is right based on what will bring about the best outcome for everyone (if I do this, what will happen, and who will it affect?).
Or perhaps you are a virtue seeker, someone who asks what kind of person you want to be and makes choices based on character and integrity (what would a good person do in this situation?).
And maybe, if you are honest, you are all three depending on the circumstance.
But here is the uncomfortable part. Do we stick to what we believe when no one is watching? The same person who returns a shopping cart out of principle might also cut a line when running late. So which is it?
And if we bend our own “rules” when it suits us, what are we really following? Ethics, or convenience dressed up as principle?
Ethical theories are not just for dusty books. They shape the way we move through the world. And perhaps the real question is this. If we hold others accountable for their choices, are we holding ourselves to the same standard?
This week’s question: “If you had to write down your own ethical code, could you live up to it?”
Next week we will explore ethical dilemmas and why they challenge even our best intentions. Subscribe and be part of this important conversation.
Think. Choose. Be.
