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0 pointshoodoof8y ago0 comments

Integrity is choosing to behave in the right way, even though you have the option of behaving otherwise.

Therefore, to behave with integrity, you must have formulated your own set of values about what is "the right way" to behave.

Every minute of every day, we all have the option to behave with or without integrity in a whole range of ways.

You earn respect by demonstrating behaviours over time where you have taken the interests of others into consideration, generally people consider someone who behaves like this to have "integrity", especially when they continue to behave that way when no-one is looking.

Saying things like "The ex-admin's bosses probably thought they were the important ones" indicates a childish set of values where there is a power struggle between employers and employees ........ of course the "bosses" are the important ones, they act for the business which is an independent legal entity, upon which many people depend for their lives to work effectively. If, as an employee, you feel poorly treated or otherwise dissatisfied, then the right thing to do is leave in a polite and respectful manner, even if you feel you were not treated in that way. Depending on the circumstances, if you were actually treated really badly, then the right thing to do is pursue your complaint through the appropriate legal channels.

Someone important in my life once said to me "the only thing you have is your reputation". Take that reputation, defend it, enhance it, nurture it and earn the respect to grow it. Don't throw it in the garbage by smashing other people (or their business) in a childish tantrum. I admit this is hard to do - I regret many things I have done in my life, but I try to lead a life consistent with my own sets of values that I think are meaningful and I get rid of people from my life who I think don't have integrity, or whose values are different from mine in critically important ways.

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throwaway57288y ago

>You earn respect by demonstrating behaviours over time where you have taken the interests of others into consideration

The relationship in most companies is entirely asymmetrical. If times are tough, employees are expected to work unpaid overtime, to sacrifice on pay and perks, to accept layoffs. If times are good, shareholders and executives see all the profit. Employees are expected to show absolute loyalty, but are shown not one shred of loyalty in return. Productivity is soaring across the economy, but wages have been stagnant since the 1970s.

Most employers will never truly respect their employees, ever, under any circumstances. Employees aren't people, they're a "human resource", a cog in the corporate machine as interchangeable as any hardware. More so, in fact - a piece of machinery would be hired on a fixed-term lease, but most employees can be dismissed at will.

I don't endorse vandalism, but I think that it's utterly naive to expect that you can earn the respect or loyalty of corporate America. It doesn't matter how honest you are or how hard you work, you'll still be discarded like an oily rag if you're surplus to requirements. You'll still be lowballed on every pay rise while executives and shareholders make record earnings.

DashRattlesnake8y ago

> Most employers will never truly respect their employees, ever, under any circumstances. Employees aren't people, they're a "human resource", a cog in the corporate machine as interchangeable as any hardware. More so, in fact - a piece of machinery would be hired on a fixed-term lease, but most employees can be dismissed at will.

> I don't endorse vandalism, but I think that it's utterly naive to expect that you can earn the respect or loyalty of corporate America. It doesn't matter how honest you are or how hard you work, you'll still be discarded like an oily rag if you're surplus to requirements. You'll still be lowballed on every pay rise while executives and shareholders make record earnings.

You are absolutely correct about corporate America, the executives, and the shareholders. The hard thing is that you can earn the respect and loyalty of the other cogs that you work with, which can be difficult to disentangle from that underlying truth.

valuearb8y ago

You've never had to hire or manage anyone.

idealogue8y ago

This is a highly normative opinion. Your version of integrity requires you to cow to a system that has been built for the purpose of your oppression. Your beliefs in following legal channels, turning the other cheek to abuse, and failing to defend your fellow man against dehumanization are the result of indoctrination by a system designed by the wealthy to keep themselves wealthy at the expense of the many.

I get rid of people from my life who I think don't have integrity, or whose values are different from mine in critically important ways.

On this, however, we agree entirely.

hoodoofOP8y ago

I'm not religious, but one of my ideologies is to do unto other as you would have them do unto you.

I think if everyone treated others the way that they would like to be treated, then the world would be a better place.

nickpsecurity8y ago

"I'm not religious, but one of my ideologies is to do unto other as you would have them do unto you."

That belief was created and pushed by religious, political, and business elites who themselves did not give equally to other people or treat them fairly. They always schemed out more for themselves. Your rule is best modified to do onto others as they would actually do onto you to the best of your knowledge. Otherwise, your rule will result in more evil happening overtime as the good people will work within the schemes created by the bad people. That's already happening.

Illustrated nicely in Hawk-Dove game:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_(game)

http://www.oocities.org/hawkdovegame/simulation.htm

Even includes retaliators which are relevant here.

douche8y ago

The platinum rule, of course, is don't do unto others as you wouldn't have them do unto you.

Maybe that is too cynical, but it works well as a rule of thumb.

treyfitty8y ago

This is a very submissive approach to handling things. I'm not condoning the opposite- pure aggression, but it seems that you're holding what others think of you as something worth preserving, which is fine. But when you attach words like "integrity" and "reputation," it has this "holier than thou" feel to it.

The large majority of the population will succumb to "what's normal" vs. "what's for the best" to avoid being casted unfavorably. Your regimented approach to seek out the carved out channels of recourse, dictated by authority, suggests you won't combat for change.

We live in a society, yes, and we have norms to abide to. But when we propagate the notion that everyone should put their heads down for the sake of reputation, then the world will never progress.

cinquemb8y ago

> But when you attach words like "integrity" and "reputation," it has this "holier than thou" feel to it… The large majority of the population will succumb to "what's normal" vs. "what's for the best" to avoid being casted unfavorably…

Especially when considering the asymmetries involved in interactions between a corporation and an individual, i would even suggest that it is a form a bias people can have which could be considered to be a conformity excuse[0].

[0] http://www.overcomingbias.com/2017/06/conformity-excuses.htm...

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