Tag: morality

Volume 60: Wait A Minute… (via Sill-E Thoughts)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Our author writes in his conclusion that –

I think the sensationalism fed to us on a 24-hour news cycle is starting to make us delusional. That’s the unintended side-effect of higher ratings. Good news turns of televisions. Good news doesn’t get discussed at the bars and water coolers across America. Good news doesn’t make us feel better because we don’t get to say, “At least my life is better than theirs.” There is a cliché regarding every person getting fifteen minutes of fame. I’d like to think that if we waited a minute, the remain fourteen could serve as a sane example for others to imitate.

I like it. I have said similar things. I call for critical thinking and less television watching. I tell my students that there are better things to do with their time and almost all maintain their mass media habits in spite of my earnest protests.

I wish the author well and hope to see more of his work. Please read the whole thing.

James Pilant

Volume 60: Wait A Minute... I need a favor from those of you that have been following my blog since it began (like my girl Cool V). I need for you to explain to my growing list of new readers that, from time to time, I cut through the introspective niceties, get real, and go off. THIS is one of those times. Honestly, I didn’t know I was going to write this blog until I was talking with my wife last night. I was telling her a couple of incredible stories about people who too … Read More

via Sill-E Thoughts

Sunday Terminology: Nihilism (via CAFNepal)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I see plenty of nihilism around particularly in our multinationals. Much of what international corporations do falls into an area devoid of moral and often rational judgment as tangible economic benefits are often sacrificed to immediate speculation.

James Pilant

Sunday Terminology: Nihilism Nihilism: The rejection of objective moral values and structures, literally "nothingism." The nihilist is a skeptic about moral traditions and obligations and does not regard them as binding. A distinction should be made between the attitude of the reluctant or sorrowing nihilist, who finds nihilism terrifying but true, and the celebrative nihilist, who view nihilism as liberation from oppressive rules. Friedrich Nietzsche sometimes described nih … Read More

via CAFNepal

The Tables Are Turned on Murdoch (via The New York Times)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Joe Nocera writing in the New York Times creates an often satirical piece that segues from schadenfreude to celebrating justice. I relished every word and hope you enjoy the piece as much as I did.

These are my two favorite paragraphs, click on them to read the whole editorial.

James Pilant

Throughout his career, Murdoch has never just been satisfied with besting the competition, as most decent businessmen are. He’s not truly happy unless he has his foot on a competitor’s neck and is pressing it downward. Felix Salmon, a blogger for Reuters, unearthed testimony about an executive who ran one of Murdoch’s more obscure divisions. “I will destroy you,” the man told a competitor, according to the testimony. “I work for a man who wants it all and doesn’t understand anybody telling him he can’t have it all.”

One feature of Murdoch’s career is that he’s never played by the rules that apply to other businessmen. That’s one reason I think he seems so shellshocked in those paparazzi photographs: unable in this dire circumstance to make his own rules, he simply doesn’t know how to react or what to do. On Tuesday, when he is excoriated in Parliament, it will be the first time he has ever truly been held to account. It undoubtedly won’t be fun for him. But there are many people who are going to take great glee in his misery — not unlike the way his newspapers have always taken such glee in the misery of others.

 

on the Good State (via The Theology of Joe)

On By southwerkIn business ethics2 Comments

Here are some very challenging thoughts about basic cultural beliefs. Here is a key paragraph –

I was thinking in church today how often we make wild assumption about God acting via our state, and that the state is essentially a Good Thing. In fact, whilst it is entirely appropriate to question belief in a deity, it is sacrilege to question the assumption of the Great United Kingdom. Some of us might laugh at the USAmerican assumptions of moral goodness and influence in the world, yet the truth is that we also talk in this way. Not only is the state good because it is good to ‘us’ (in the process dismissing all those who do not experience good things from the state as being somehow outcasts), ‘we’ are agents of good in the world. To assume that our commitment to the gospel of Christ might be in conflict with the working of the state is to label ourselves as fanatical – possibly dangerous – fundamentalists.

This is tough and difficult for many to accept. But we should think about these things. The status of “city on a hill” is not given but earned.

James Pilant

I do love Slavoj Žižek.  I like his energy when he speaks, his crumpled appearance and his frequent nose-wiping. I like the fact that most of the time I have absolutely no idea what he is talking about, but that is brain moves so quickly from one point to another that there is no time between confusion and enlightenment, humour and deep thought.  To be clear, he may as well be speaking in Slovakian for all I understand him. I like the way he spea … Read More

via The Theology of Joe

Business Ethics and ?Blind Spots? | Ethics (via rumimibofyt)

On By southwerkIn business ethics3 Comments

The book sounds interesting; I will have to have a look at it.

Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What's Right and What to Do about It

I can be found here at Amazon. com.

James Pilant

Ann Tenbrunsel, the Rex and Alice A. Martin Professor of Business Ethics at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, discusses her new book “Blind Spots: Why We Fail to do What’s Right and What to do About it.” “A blind spot is an unknown obstacle that prevents us from seeing our unethical behavior,” Tenbrunsel explains. “It doesn’t allow us to see the gap between who we think we are, who we’d like to be, and who we truly are.” … Read More

via rumimibofyt

My privilege is showing. (via Vomits Her Mind)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I like fighters. There are people out there who are just not going to take the status quo. This is one of them.

I have complete confidence that many of you will be in disagreement with some or all of her stances and beliefs. But pause for a moment and think what our society would be like without motion, without change, without difference, and most of all think what the world would be like if everyone agreed not to be different.

James Pilant

What I am about to write is important to me, and I think it's very important to my blog for me to take note of my biases, my privileges, my experiences. I live with scientists, and have been posing the question to them recently: does your personal experience, your bias, your privileges, your experience, do these things factor into how you interpret or accept new data?" This is important to the field of science. And, turning it inwards, I note: th … Read More

via Vomits Her Mind

Ethical Web Posts I Found Today – July 12th, 2011

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

A Druid Journal discusses “ethical eating.”

“Gangraped Nepal nun now faces expulsion from nunnery,” is a post from Sujato’s Blog.  This is an excellent post, well written and passionate. I am not well enough versed in the religious aspects to comment at the level of quality I want, so I will let you draw your conclusions. I admit I find his case most persuasive.

“Is God the basis of morality?” asks this posting entitled  The Christian and the Euthyphro Dilemma. If you have philosophical leanings, go here! This is from the web site – The Gospel According to Erik.

Here is a discussion of the ethics of creative license from the web site, accidental happiness and entitled – confessions of a dangerous writer.

The latest moral outrage, part 1 (via Toward a Moral Life)

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

When I first began to read this, I thought I was reading a screed, some guy venting his anger. But after getting into what he was saying I realized I had misunderstood (I think Frank Zappa threw me off). His objections are very similar if not identical to my own although worded a little more passionately that I might have done.

I have to add, that increasingly I have been spotting on the web comments and blog posts that seem to give a more positive spin to slavery. This is vile beyond words. Slavery is not comparable to industrial conditions in Northern States, it is not preferable to life in Africa, and if you think bringing people to God is a laudable goal, slavery is still overkill.

Give the attached post your attention, there are some outraged but good thoughts therein.

James Pilant

The latest moral outrage, part 1 Frank Zappa nailed it on the head many years ago when he feared that a "fascist theocracy" based upon Christianity dogma would attempt to command first American society, and then American government. An Iowa group called The Family Leader has placed one more brick into that wall of fascist theocracy. This group of Christian pinheads has formulated a 14-point document entitled "The Marriage Vow". There are so many moral outrages contained within t … Read More

via Toward a Moral Life

they tell us what they want (via getting lost in skylines; trying to forget)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I think this level of anger entirely appropriate. I was appalled by the “newspaper’s” conduct in hacking the voice mails of crime victims and their families.

James Pilant

they tell us what they want I just want to express my disgust and disbelief at what has been uncovered about the News of the World and their phone hacking. It's absolutely obscene. I also want to applaud the Guardian for their efforts in revealing it. This is one of the first times in history that one newspaper has investigated another (acc to tonight's This Week on BBC1), and given the results, you can see why that is. It's no surprise that they're the ones to have done it … Read More

via getting lost in skylines; trying to forget

Aung San Suu Kyi. The Reith Lectures. (via magsmuse)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I’m going to take a side here and it’s not with the government of Burma.

James Pilant

Aung San Suu Kyi. The Reith Lectures. SECURING FREEDOM/LIBERTY I believe that if you really want or need to say something, then you really should  have the freedom to gently clearly and directly speak that Truth.  A soul should not be denied. God will forever inspire us to articulate and seek the Truth.    It is an injustice to be wrongly convicted or under house arrest, spiritually or physically.  To communicate yourself, directly is so important, for through another you can never b … Read More

via magsmuse