In my previous job as assistant director of recruiting at a community college, I was faced with ethical challenges on a daily basis. One circumstance involved an employee who was ordering supplies for the office and stealing some of them for her personal use. Through careful observation, over the course of several months, we had enough evidence to present a case. Although she was eventually fired, I was saddened by the chain of events. This scenario reminded me of how people can be pressured to do things that are unethical. Sometimes, they are yearning to fit in or be “part of” a group. How much is too much? The purpose of this blog is to explore your views. What I may deem unethical could be viewed as acceptable in your eyes. How do you construct your reality? What circumstances, if any, have tested your perception of right and wrong? To start the discussion, take a look at the following poem:
Theft Obsession
What you do in the dark will eventually come to the light.
It’s an adrenaline rush.
A thirst to steal
Got you so worked up
An addiction … so real!
Think you’re invincible, undetectable
So savvy and slick—
Quite sure of yourself
‘Cause it’s the ultimate fix.
Like a drug addict—all strung out
You’ve clearly lost your mind.
Lying, cheating—for personal gain
Oh, it’s just a matter of time.
Your sneaky, selfish, hurtful ways
Have all come up to the surface.
The jig is up; the evidence is in—
For a life once filled with purpose.
You abandoned the good; embraced the bad.
Thought no harm would come your way.
But your sly demeanor and thirst to steal
Have led your heart astray.
© 2010 by Rameca Vincent Leary