It simply wasn’t the best choice. It was originally a White House proposal, designed to force Congress to either swallow painful cuts or boost taxes. The law mandating sequestration passed on a bipartisan vote — and then Republicans embraced it even more strongly when they could not reach a grand budget deal with President Obama. It can begin an analysis, but is not an analysis itself. The ethical human being understands that , and certainly doesn’t think that the employment of one of the “enabling virtues” can sanctify wrongful conduct. FDR was vindictive and ruthless, but those aren’t the qualities that made him a great President. Ethics requires that when performing a duty will unquestionably result in injustice and harm to others, some consideration and balancing must be applied, followed by making one or more difficult choices. The Hippie’s License, or “If it feels good, do it!” (“It’s natural”). It is an appeal to anonymous authority. Framing what was a wrongful act as simply an act that wasn’t a good as it could have been, the wrongdoer poses as imperfect  but virtuous and sincere, doing the best she can. work, and good relationships with customers. They cannot and do not change the nature of the conduct being apologized for. Positivity is a form of self-deception, like all rationalizations. 65. Snooping into the contents of your host’s medicine cabinet is wrong, and the fact that you discovered a mislabeled pill bottle with rat poison in it doesn’t make your violation of her privacy ethical, even though it allows you to tell her and save her life. principals. His well-argued accusation was the epitome of effective finger-pointing, and played a major role in bringing down a corrupt government. In this Donald’s delusion has kinship with Rationalization #22, The Comparative Virtue Excuse, or “There are worse things.” Yes, I suppose showing oneself to be a boor and a misogynist is technically worse when you have represented to the world that you weren’t one, but pointing to that as a mitigating factor is an insult. In truth, they have no idea whether it will or not, or if it is, for how long. 1A. Identify the following six (6) major groups of unethical Sometimes someone does. What makes the Underwood Maneuver so devilishly effective is that, like many other rationalizations, there is a nugget of common sense in it that makes it seem reasonable. This is one of the most pernicious rationalizations of all, right down there with #22, “It’s not the worst thing.” Movies and TV shows have been based on the premise that once you know the world is going to end (or lesser extinctions), the usual rules of right and wrong are suspended. The stomach and the palate can “want” food, even when it must be stolen. “Don’t sweat the small stuff” is the mark of a bad manager as well as leaders who encourage and foster bad management. This places 51A in close proximity to #14, Self-validating Virtue. Torture used without restrictions probably would save one life or more. It posits the theory that as long as someone never says or suggests that he is above a particular kind of misconduct, he shouldn’t be judged harshly for engaging in it. When Elliot Richardson was ordered by President Richard Nixon to fire Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, he refused and resigned. This is why misbehavior by leaders and other admired role models is potentially very harmful on a large scale: by creating dissonance, it creates a downward drag on societal norms by validating unethical behavior. The Revolutionary’s Excuse: “These are not ordinary times.”. The Scooby Doo Deflection, or “I should have gotten away with it!”. Thus journalists rush to be the first to turn rumors into front page “scoops,” and middle managers go along with corporate shenanigans ordered by their bosses, making the calculation that their refusal will only hurt them without preventing the damage they have been asked to cause. Ethics Estoppel, or “They’re Just as Bad”, The mongrel offspring of The Golden Rationalization and the Bible-based dodges a bit farther down the list, the “They’re Just as Bad” Excuse is both a rationalization and a distraction. Philosopher Emmanuel Kant demanded that ethical principles pass muster as universal, to be applied by all people in all circumstances…the Categorical Imperative. The theory behind this sub-rationalization is that it is only fair to assign a criticism quota to groups and individuals: at a certain point, no more criticism is allowed, because nobody should have to be criticized that much. This is a really vile rationalization, one of the worst on the list. By emphasizing that the goal was difficult, a fact that indeed was known to all and should have figured into the planning and the execution of the operation to accomplish it, The Maldroit’s Diversion focuses attention and criticism away from those responsible for a disaster—those whose incompetence, lack of diligence, and poor judgment were the real reason an important task was not accomplished, not the fact that it wasn’t “easy.” The rationalization strives to avoid accountability, and conveniently prepares for an ultimate failure to succeed by planting the thought: “This objective is so difficult, who can blame him/her/them for failing to do it?”, 38. 2. Note that this does not in any way address or disprove the charge; indeed, resorting to this tactic usually means that the critic is correct. The underlying logic is that the wrongdoer isn’t a bad person, so the wrongful act shouldn’t be held against him or her as harshly as if he was. #3 posits that unethical conduct that ends up having beneficial or desirable results has been purged of its unethical nature. The Saint’s Excuse attempts to justify unethical actions that accomplish worthy goals The Road to Hell attempts to justify unethical conduct even when it does undeniable harm, just because it was undertaken with admirable intent. Donald’s Dodge is a versatile rationalization, however; you have to admit it. The Lone Inspiration Excuse, or ” Do You Have A Better Idea?”, 40. He was just lucky that his ineptitude didn’t blind her. The rationalization is named after the 1913 children’s literature classic by Eleanor H. Porter (and the now more famous 1960 Disney adaptation of the novel ) about a little girl who was determined to see the good in everybody and everything, is another in the sub-rationalization category, stamped 3A to mark its close relationship with #3, Consequentialism. Bonds, you see, was a great player before his alleged use of steroids began, so even if he did use steroids (he did), what difference did it make? The difference is that in that rationalization, the unethical actor is convinced that since he or she is inherently virtuous, anything they do must therefore also be virtuous. The gulf between the individual’s admiration of the person (a positive attitude) and the individual’s objection to the behavior (a negative attitude) must be reconciled. I always liked him.”. This sub-rationalization embodies the proposition that genuine unethical conduct and incivility becomes magically virtuous and praiseworthy if it is “real,” “sincere” and “unapologetic.” Utter nonsense. Leaders are lying to the public? To their undying shame, Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee allowed the traditional inquiry to become a circus, low-lighted by permitting a bizarre, three decades old #MeToo accusation regarding alleged (and unsubstantiated) attempted sexual assault (maybe) by Kavanaugh when he was in high school and a minor to breach all standards of fairness and due process. He knows that a person will be killed, and that the victim’s loved ones will be hurt. Ethical people possess consciences, self-control, and the rational ability to deny and resist “wants” that involve betrayal, hurtful conduct, crimes and wrong-doing. In this respect 25C has kinship with 19 B. Murkowski’s Lament, or “It was a difficult decision, which attempts to use sympathy, pity and the suggestion of courage to duck accountability. Arguing that as long as the misery inflicted has company, what was done isn’t as bad as it was. Part 1: Respond to each prompt. Rationalization 40 A., Otter’s Solution, or “I had to do something!” is an invitation to be unethical, irrational, reckless and irresponsible, bypassing law, values, common sense, and any other obstacle that usually constrains bad policy and  conduct. The simple response is: “So what? The Herd’s Excuse argues that what would normally be wrong becomes right when the group endorses it uniformly. 34. “Some people” say and even believe ridiculous things. Thus, unlike many rationalizations on the list, devotees of #3A are often “nice” as well as ethical. John Lyly’s Rationalization, Or “All’s fair in love and war“, This popular and well-traveled rationalization was first put into print by  16th century poet John Lyly, who wrote in his novel “Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit,” published in 1579, “the rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.” The tip-off that this is a rationalization, and was so even in 1579, is that everything wasn’t considered fair even in war once mankind began civilizing beyond caves and clubs. It was an appeal to the Golden Rule: I’m not doing anything to the stranger I’m taking a photo of that I would object to if he did it to me! In fact, the opposite is the case: human beings are responsible for each other, and the ethical obligation to help someone, even at personal cost, arises with the opportunity to do so, not with blame for causing the original problem. In fact, the argument is nonsensical. When the harm done is voluntary and unethical, however, and not dictated by a prior duty or legitimate orders, it may breach both the ethical principles of reciprocity and the categorical imperative. This popular rationalization confuses blame with responsibility. So what? The Underwood Maneuver is versatile. They can often be identified by their mouthing of the fatuous accusation, “Haters gonna hate!”, *NOTE: In popular culture, the supposed motive for the hate is envy and jealousy, as in the juvenile rejoinder, “You’re just jealous!”, 50. It typically occurs when a group or class that has been mistreated (or considers itself so) demands a special privilege to be unethical for a brief interval, and a dispensation from any adverse consequences. Advocates use statistics, falsity, jargon and ambiguity with the assumption, sadly justified, that most listeners and readers are both overly trusting and lacking in the training and acumen to know when they are being manipulated. Ethics Accounting, or “I’ve earned this”/ “I made up for that”. There are also people and organizations who make jokes in public at their peril. It’s you. All of you know me here — when did I ever refuse? ethical standards into their daily behaviors. The Romantic’s Excuse, or “I care so much!”, We all admire great passion. The Idealist’s Delusion is a cynical tool to bypass ethical decision-making by assuming the result, and using ego and guilt to stifle objective analysis. Their achievements, in their own minds and those of their supporters and fans, have earned them a more lenient ethical standard. 23. The Volunteer’s Dodge, Or “You Don’t Pay Me Enough To Be Ethical!“, Back in my community theater days, when I either inspired or infuriated fellow thespians with my insistence that an artist’s obligation to work diligently and tirelessly for artistic excellence was the same no matter what level of theater one was engaged in, I would occasionally encounter an actor, a designer, or a staff member who aroused my ire by being overly casual about their responsibilities, doing a shoddy job, missing deadlines, or refusing to put in the necessary hours to ensure a successful production. #10, The Unethical Tree in the Forest, or “What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” stands for the convenient and absurd proposition that as long as someone doesn’t know they have been lied to, cheated or otherwise harmed by unethical conduct, that conduct isn’t really unethical. It is an assertion that bias not only trumps legitimate objections to a course of action, but that it should. Those who are charged with overseeing the integrity of competitions and competitive exercises like academic exams must often make reasonable assessments based on less than conclusive proof. Wrong. And I believed that — then — and I believe that now. An argument for those who embrace “the ends justify the means”—but only temporarily, mind you!—the Revolutionary’s excuse has as long and frightening a pedigree as any of the rationalizations here. They are all haters, hate is bad, and it’s the haters who are the problem, not the corruption, dishonesty, and betrayals they criticize. If the only course of action being imposed is unethical, then the responsible and ethical better idea may be not to do anything at all. The Saint’s Excuse: “It’s for a good cause”. Unethical conduct has become ordinary, the new normal. The Biblical Rationalizations “Judge not, lest ye not be judged,” and “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone,” 10. As any Gilbert and Sullivan fan knows, February 29 is the troublesome birthday of Frederick, the dim and conflicted hero of “The Pirates of Penzance.”  Apprenticed to a pirate as a child by mistake (his nurse heard “pirate” rather than “pilot”),  the lad was bound to serve as a cutthroat until his 21st birthday, and thinking that the terms specified his obligation to reach until his 21st year, quits the pirate band that raised him and joins the police, who are  seeking to put his old comrades behind bars. One of the most seductive and simple-minded of rationalizations, The Hippie’s License flourished in the 1960’s and still haunts us today. …and others. Chemical warfare wasn’t “fair.” Germ warfare wasn’t “fair.” Abusing prisoners of war wasn’t “fair.”, Presidential Impeachment/Removal Plans, 11/16 to the Present, Ben Franklin’s Two Daily Questions and 13 Virtues, Unethical Rationalizations and Misconceptions, Alarm Blockers: Non-Ethical Considerations, who left a stricken colleague behind to die, taking photographs of strangers in public, Ethic Hero: Former White House Chief Of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Further Observations On The Pro-Trump Rioting At The Capitol, Ethics Observations On The Pro-Trump Rioting At The Capitol. Using a fictional consent to absolve a decision-maker from actual responsibility is both a dodge and cowardly, as well as dishonest. The Underwood Maneuver doesn’t just urge its victims to give up crippling grudges, which would indeed be positive advice. Rationalization 13 is one of the really deadly rationalizations, the closest on the list to “The ends justified the means”: The Saint’s Excuse is that the ends justify the means, because the “saint” has decided that the ends are worth any price—especially when that price will have to be paid by someone else. Fine: Ray Rice’s fiancee will allow him to escape accountability for criminally assaulting her, thus putting herself and other women in mortal peril as well as encouraging similarly irresponsible and reckless conduct from similarly deluded and vulnerable women. Various professional Obama accountability-evaders are now making the accusation that the breakdown in the health system was caused by Republican-led budget cuts. Ethics often requires pain; if making the ethical choice was easy, there would be no need to practice being ethical. 5 Most Common Unethical Behaviors in the Ethics Resource Center (ERC) Survey . 35. It is the downfall of the zealot, the true believer, and the passionate advocate that almost any action that supports “the Cause,’ whether it be liberty, religion, charity, or curing a plague, is seen as being justified by the inherent rightness of the ultimate goal. Good people have no more leave to be unethical than anyone else, and nobody earns the right to be unethical without consequences. We all know that it is impossible to be perfect, so the use of this rationalization cleverly turns a very  easy form of ethical conduct—in this case, basic manners and civility—into a challenge that no one should be expected to meet. Saying ethics is a luxury simply means that the speaker believes that one should be good and fair when it is easy and benefits him or her, but when problems loom and crises have to be faced, ethics are optional. Nonetheless, pointing fingers where they need to be pointed, when they need to be pointed, is inconvenient for the incompetents, miscreants, con artists, spinners and otherwise accountable parties so accused. W.S. 40. It must be the group—society, the culture—that decides when one of them needs to be amended or eliminated. The Lone Inspiration Excuse suggests that a terrible course of conduct can become acceptable by default. The episode represented the zenith of “believe all women” feminist cant. We have heard this rationalization a lot during the escalating culture wars. 15. Today, arguing on Sunday Morning shows about whether President Obama was exceeding his Constitutional authority by unilaterally changing the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, a Democratic Congressman pointed out that it wasn’t the first time a President had done this. “I never said I was perfect!” Betray a long-held trust? Duty is seldom as simple, or simple-minded, as Frederick thinks. A belief that it is within ethical and legal limits. 19 B. Murkowski’s Lament, or “It was a difficult decision”, Senator Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) official statement  on why she was voting against Justice Brett Kavanaugh after his ethics train wreck of a confirmation hearing brought this common rationalization into focus. We are hard-wired to be biased, because thinking takes too long in the wilderness, and by the time Natural Man or Natural Woman has examined all relevant factors in a situation rationally, they are dead. Get caught cheating on your spouse? The brain may “want” revenge, other people’s money and to be successful at any cost. Through the ages, we have been perplexed at the fact that people who don’t play by the rules have an apparent advantage over those who do, and “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!” has been the rallying cry of those who see the abandonment of values as the only way to prosper. What is usually abandoned is respect and fairness. You should not have to be paid to meet your commitments and obligations. An undeserved firing is just as undeserved if a nice farewell party follows. Meanwhile Frederick, declaring himself a “slave of duty,” joins the pirates again, as they prepare to murder Mabel’s father. It is true that if you are hitting me over the head with a brick, I am grateful when you stop, and whenever you stop, the end to my pain is appreciated. How dare you look in my private diary and find out about my heroin ring?”. Their circular logic results in their adversaries feeling justified in being equally unethical, since times in which the other side engages in dishonesty, cheating, cruelty, and more is, by definition, extraordinary. It accused the French Government anti-Semitism and a breach of justice in the prosecution and imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus, a French Army General Staff officer sentenced to lifelong penal servitude for espionage. As one of Clarence Darrow’s favorite poems says. Stuff happens to all of us, we call it Life! Why should I  have to pay a fine for this, when so many others are speeding right along with me (and so many more are speeding by even faster than I did while I stand still here, kept from going my way, for this futile, revenue-grabbing police action)? Locking up ever angry husband that threatened the life of an estranged spouse with a menacing phone call would save many lives. That’s not authority, it’s not evidence, it’s not even interesting. According to one study, there are four common rationalizations for justifying misconduct [1] My behavior isn’t really illegal or immoral. A cancer you don’t know about can still kill you. Ethics Accounting holds that someone can eliminate or mitigate wrong doing by loading up the good side of the ethics ledger so that the bad side looks puny by comparison. The doctor’s defense was that she would have lost her sight anyway because she didn’t follow the treatment prescribed by another doctor. Ethics Estoppel, or “They’re Just as Bad” Its objective is to turn the tables on legitimate critics of unethical conduct by asserting that it is the act of criticism itself that is wrong, thus allowing the object of the criticism to not only escape unscathed, but to claim victim status. 55. Just pick the great, famous and admired man or woman who you think would be most likely to engage in the wrongful conduct you are considering, and you will immediately feel good about it. This is one reason why DNR (“Do not resuscitate”) orders are essential. decisions and acts always in full consideration of ethical issues. One’s objective is to be the best human being that we can be, not to just avoid being the worst rotter anyone has ever met. Rationalization #56 uses presumed virtue to claim that a potential actor is too good to do something…without ever making the case that the considered conduct is really wrong or unwise. But John Yoo deserves it. 57. The fact that someone’s act is more or less ethical than yours has no effect on the ethical nature of your conduct. But while the wielder of the Saint’s Excuse typically at least has a beneficial or valuable result to claim as justification for unethical and inexcusable acts, the desperate employers of 13A only have their alleged good intentions, which may be the product of emotion, misunderstanding, ignorance or stupidity. Get the informed consent, 8A devotees, and then we’ll talk. The Management Shrug is the favored rationalization of supposed “big thinkers” who are willing to make a million tiny concessions—often involving harm to others and needless risk—in pursuit of their grand design. Incremental escalations in the unethical nature of the acts, if not inevitable, are certainly common. The existence of the saying, however, is often sufficient for someone, like George, to justify behaving badly. We all have a right to do many terrible, unfair, wrongful and harmful things. Cheating the young sprout will teach him to be more careful the next time, and it’s just a pleasant coincidence that you benefit from the deception. When a wrongdoer resorts to The Romantic’s Excuse, what he or she is really confessing is a lack of self-control. The King’s Pass (of course); 12. takes the form of structural programs to help participants understand, the ethical aspects of decision-making. 64. Some of the worst crimes in human history have been rationalized by lovers. Rationalization 51A solves that technical problem by asserting the validity of completely subjective ethics: as long as the self-satisfied, egomaniacal individual doesn’t care about the ethical standards and values being breached or the predictable results of the conduct breaching them, it doesn’t matter who cares. This rationalization has probably caused more death and human suffering than any other. “Well, you solve it then!” is not a fair response. Nobody should accept the defense that “it was a joke” if it wasn’t a good enough joke to compensate for the damage it did, the people it hurt, or the trouble it will cause. What matters is that he’s our guy! “You can’t use this against me, because you cheated!” is not the same as “Because you cheated, what I did is OK!”, A typical  use of the Scooby Doo Deflection includes “Mom! The libido “wants” pleasure and gratification, even if it is adulterous. Yes, abolishing slavery in 1865 is  better than never abolishing it at all, but the 13th Amendment doesn’t erase the wrong or relieve the accountability of allowing slavery to continue from 1776 until the ban. Absolutely, ending “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was long in coming and necessary, but it is still a disgrace that it took so long to end a disgraceful policy. According to Vikas Anand and his colleagues, common rationalizations include: “I know I shouldn’t have done that, but my boss made me so I didn’t have any choice.” Or, “Others have done worse.” Or, “That guy deserved to get ripped off.” Or, “If I hadn’t done it, someone else would have.” He has been a loving son, a devoted brother, a faithful husband and a wonderful parent! It was unconstitutional then, and it’s unconstitutional now. 44. When we encounter values conflicts in the workplace, we often face barriers that appear in the form of “reasons and rationalizations” for pursuing a particular course of action. I would also point out that I was not being paid either, and yet I was working seven days a week to put on the best possible show with the human and financial resources available. Convincing yourself that the organization will “protect” you: Loyalty is not acceptable excuse for misconduct; it should not, managers exposed the misdeeds of others in their organizations. Barry’s construct assumes that people only behave ethically if there is a tangible, state-enforced penalty for not doing so, and that not incurring a penalty (that is, not breaking the law) is, by definition, ethical. Like Frank, real life unethical politicians know that if responsibility for a scandal, lie or crime  can be denied, delayed, ducked, distorted and ignored long enough, the news media and the public will become fatigued and frustrated, and ultimately give up on holding the wrongdoers accountable. Why should *I* be the first to suffer consequences, when so many more do the same thing and get away without suffering?” That is the persecution I might feel, and how I might think, if I was pulled over for speeding while driving amidst a cluster of other speeders: “Why am I being singled out? Enemy of the rationalizations involve a wrongdoer ’ s common rationalizations for unethical behavior attempts to transform the into... 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