 |
| Image via Wikipedia |
Allow me to introduce myself: Theo: I believe in
honesty, truth, reason and equality. I'm rational, passionate, caring, neutral
and considerative as well, I hope, as considerate. That's really all you need
know about me.
Hi there, I'm Dave. Opinion's the only thing that
counts on the web. Mine's as valid as anyone's. I don't really care about
anything enough to get involved but I like to put my point of view out there.
I'm not consistent and sometimes I fight for the other side just for the hell
of it; know what I mean? For me, this debating lark's just that: a lark. So,
listen up, join in and have a go at both, either or neither of us.
Today, by way of introduction to the idea, we're
going to discuss the question:
Is Honesty Absolute or Can it be Measured in
Degrees?
Dave: Easy. You're either honest or you're not. No
discussion.
Theo: Not quite the spirit of the idea, Dave. But I
understand why you might say that. The problem, I think, is that 'honesty'
covers such a wide range, encompassing so much within its definition.
Dave: You'll get used to this with Theo. He's a
great bloke but he loves his long words. If you mean there's a lot of stuff called
honesty, why not just say so, Theo?
Theo: I thought I just did. But let's stick to the
topic at hand, shall we? For instance, is stealing something you'd include
under the umbrella title?
Dave: I guess so, but let's not include it here.
That's got to make a topic all on its own, surely?
Theo: Excellent. So, we'll consider the idea of
honesty as a quality, a way of approaching life, shall we?
Dave: Sure.
Theo: Then I'll ask, is honesty the best policy?
Which, I suppose, is where we should have started.
Dave: Good thought, Theo. Best policy? Well, depends
how you view life in general doesn't it? I mean, if you're honest, you're going
to have to pass up on all those chances fate chucks at your feet, aren't you?
Theo: Give us an example, Dave.
Dave: Okay. You're walking down the street and you
come across a small value note lying there. D'you pocket it or leave it, spend
it or take it to the cops? If you're absolutely honest, you'd have to take it
to the cops, wouldn't you?
Theo: Absolute honesty would demand that action,
yes. But, let's consider the consequences. By taking this small note; we'll say
a fiver if you're British or a $10 bill if you're from the States. The rest of
you will, unfortunately, have to do the conversion to your own currency, if you
don't mind. So, you have this small amount of currency and you take it to the
police. They take your details and you fill in a form and sometime in the
future (after 30 days in UK), you get the call to say it's not been claimed and
it's therefore yours, legally.
Dave: Sounds okay to me. But I'd not bother to
report something as small as a fiver.
Theo: You probably employ common sense in this
decision, Dave. I know you're not a man who takes frivolous decisions. The
question expands into the discussion and consideration of consequences. In
reporting this small matter, you've used some of your own valuable time, caused
the duty officer at the police station to use time he might otherwise have
spent more usefully in preventing crime, and probably used fuel in the
journeys. The latter, of course, means that you've added to the general
pollution of the planet, risked lives by driving further miles, and put more
mileage on the clock of your car, thus reducing its value and bringing the time
for the service nearer.
So, was this act of honesty actually worth it?
Dave: Like I said, I wouldn't bother for just a
fiver. And looks like you've decided you wouldn't, either.
Theo: So, would you do it for a tenner?
Dave: No.
Theo: Twenty?
Dave: Probably not. There's loads of them around.
Theo: Fifty?
Dave: Now you're talking. Yeah, I'd go to the bother
for a fifty.
Theo: And your reasons?
Dave: Well, for a start, I've never had a fifty myself
and I don't think many people have. Fifty's a lot to lose. You'd notice it,
wouldn't you? The person who lost it might think it's worth bothering the cops
to see if some honest person's reported it. So, yeah. Fifty's the starting
point for me to record it. Anything from there up and I'd take it to the cops.
Theo: And you'd do this because you think it's the
morally right thing to do, not because you think you might be in danger of being
accused of theft if you failed to report it?
Dave: I don't think most people think like that.
It's not mine, the cops won't be wasting their time, because someone's likely
to report it lost. So, it just makes sense to give it in. If no one claims it,
you're fifty to the good and you can spend it with a clear conscience, can't
you?
Theo: And you've been honest, into the bargain. Do
you think it was dishonest not to return the smaller notes?
Dave: Not exactly dishonest. It's about priorities
and amounts, isn't it? I mean, we decided it wouldn't be worth if to anyone for
under a fifty. So, it's just common sense, really.
Theo: So, not a question of honesty, but one of
expediency, then?
Dave: If you say so. Are we done with this one?
Theo: In the way that I think we can say that
honesty, in the sense it's used in everyday matters, isn't an absolute, but an
attitude that encompasses such qualities as degree, common sense and personal
priorities. Thank you, Dave. I look forward to our next debate.
Dave: Yeah, right. And you lot out there reading
this, let's have your thoughts, eh? Have your say. That's what this is about
after all.
6 comments:
Found a $10 bill on my way in a large shopping mall one day twenty or so years ago, so it seemed to be a considerably larger sum to me then than it is now. There it was, scuttling across the ground in a breeze as a number of people passed, entering and leaving. I looked around for anyone with an open pocketbook or wallet, anyone looking distressed. No one. i asked several people who passed by if they had lost any money, not mentioning the amount. It remained unclaimed.
I snatched up the bill, before it got blown away, and then had the discussion with my wife. What to do? Turn it in to the Mall security? What would happen to it then? Was that any of my business? Make it part of a church donation? It would at least be used for some charity, my wife thought.
In my mind I considered our own family situation. I was working seven days a week at the time, many days working from dawn to midnight, pinching pennies to make ends meet and keep a roof over our heads. How long had it been since we had done anything recreational with our boys? What would the harm be if we just spent this little treasure?
The issue melted away at an ice cream shop, over sundaes we hadn't been able to treat ourselves to in over a year. Later, the waitress beamed at an unexpected hefty tip, settling the dispute of what to do.
Honesty is the best policy, but, honestly, "Charity begins at home."
An interesting take on the morality question. It seems to me true that personal circumstances will generally influence our decision in such situations. Had you been comfortably off and well-able to afford such family treats, I've no doubt your decision would have been different; perhaps opting for the charity donation instead?
Thanks for your contribution.
My dad told me that I always needed to be able to look myself in the eye in the mirror. I haven't always succeeded but usually it has been when I'd made a stupid decision. I can remember times in the no-too-distant past when a fiver would have been a godsend, but, had I found one and not turned it in, I wouldn't have passed the mirror test, mostly because the loser might have been worse off than I was. I still think it was a compliment, although the giver didn't mean it that way, when one of the prisoners in the prison library I ran told me I was too honest for my own good.
Parental influences seem to be strong regarding honesty. My parents were the same; poor, but honest. Like you, Silversongbird, I've been told, in pejorative tones, that I'm too honest for my own good. But, also like you, I'd rather be that way than crooked.
Anon had some good points, it is tempting to take what we find. However, I choose to view it as a test of faith. I firmly believe honesty is the best policy, even if it means hurting someones feelings. I found a ten once when I was little and turned it in. No matter how bad we were hurting financially {and there were times Mama and I collected aluminum cans off the streets just to have money for the bills.}
It wasn't easy, but later down the road, when we were living off what we caught in the ocean, a miracle happened that restored my faith in the good of humanity. An old man bought the whole family dinner, got my step dad a job and gave us a 3 bedroom house to live in rent free, all we had to do was keep the back acreage mowed.
Thanks for this, Kitty. I's truly wonderful when some kindly soul with the means enters your life and is able to improve your lot, isn't it? I'm so glad to learn that your philosophy of honesty has worked for you and that you and yours were able to benefit from the generosity of spirit in one better off than you were. It warms the heart.
Post a Comment