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I do not think this is due to low wages. Quality of ones morality is not necessarily measured by ones wage. If one is corruptible/corrupt there’s always a price

I do not think this is due to low wages. Quality of ones morality is not necessarily measured by ones wage. If one is corruptible/corrupt there’s always a price point (or some other excuse) one falls for it.

y4mi 8y ago
Do a minimum wage job for a few months and you'll be surprised how quickly this changes. If everyone treats you like shit and you get a shitty wage as well... Well, a lot happens to your mind
EpicEng 8y ago
>If one is corruptible/corrupt... Which is pretty much everyone.
Gustomaximus 8y ago
I agree somewhat but feel it better to say I dont think wage (assuming it is a living wage) is the biggest variable in moral behaviour. Wage likely has some weighting (especially under a living standard), but I cant see how people disagree it is a big factor. If the counter point was true we would see reducing corruption as people go up the wealth scale. Whereas I feel there is a reasonable portion of lax morals at every level of wealth, and there is higher proportion of corruption the higher the level. My logic to this and why; 1) Firstly I am aware corruption and 'wealth have a negative correlation in terms of GDP per capita but would position this as, countries with less corruption get wealthier, and culture plays a huge part in corruption so to understand this you have to look within cultures and country to country comparison is not accurate in understanding wealth/corruption relationship. 2) There is always someone wealthier and if 'getting to the top' is a huge personal driver it doesn't matter whether you are in the bottom middle class or the top 5%. There is always more to go up. 3) Corruption scales, so at the lower level someone might be taking a $1k bribe, the wealthy are taking $million bribes so the desire for immoral money scales in value to the risk/reward so people dont become dissuaded as they get wealthier and it is more to do with personal morals. 4) Wealthy have more opportunity for corruption. E.g. as you go up corporate ranks you get bigger budgets/access and more autonomy in signing things off. And there is more grey in decisions for contracts awarded etc. Its a heap easier for a senior person to be corrupt than it is for a minimum wage employee. Side point: I dont think its fair people downvoted the original comment. HN is better than voting on I disagree with you. It is a fair comment and while maybe could have been expressed more please lets not become the community of hivemind and agenda pushing. Lets have interesting conversation regardless of if it aligns with your opinion.
- mediterrenean 8y ago
  Thanks for a detailed reply and analysis. There’s nothing I can disagree in these since it is an attempt to explain further why we do what we do. Also replying to other comments as well, life might leave one without much choice when especially living under deprived conditions and having family. But again it’s all about choices. I think downvotes are to the tone of the comment rather than the statement itself. Fair enough.

y4mi 8y ago

Do a minimum wage job for a few months and you'll be surprised how quickly this changes. If everyone treats you like shit and you get a shitty wage as well... Well, a lot happens to your mind

EpicEng 8y ago

>If one is corruptible/corrupt... Which is pretty much everyone.

Gustomaximus 8y ago

I agree somewhat but feel it better to say I dont think wage (assuming it is a living wage) is the biggest variable in moral behaviour. Wage likely has some weighting (especially under a living standard), but I cant see how people disagree it is a big factor. If the counter point was true we would see reducing corruption as people go up the wealth scale. Whereas I feel there is a reasonable portion of lax morals at every level of wealth, and there is higher proportion of corruption the higher the level. My logic to this and why; 1) Firstly I am aware corruption and 'wealth have a negative correlation in terms of GDP per capita but would position this as, countries with less corruption get wealthier, and culture plays a huge part in corruption so to understand this you have to look within cultures and country to country comparison is not accurate in understanding wealth/corruption relationship. 2) There is always someone wealthier and if 'getting to the top' is a huge personal driver it doesn't matter whether you are in the bottom middle class or the top 5%. There is always more to go up. 3) Corruption scales, so at the lower level someone might be taking a $1k bribe, the wealthy are taking $million bribes so the desire for immoral money scales in value to the risk/reward so people dont become dissuaded as they get wealthier and it is more to do with personal morals. 4) Wealthy have more opportunity for corruption. E.g. as you go up corporate ranks you get bigger budgets/access and more autonomy in signing things off. And there is more grey in decisions for contracts awarded etc. Its a heap easier for a senior person to be corrupt than it is for a minimum wage employee. Side point: I dont think its fair people downvoted the original comment. HN is better than voting on I disagree with you. It is a fair comment and while maybe could have been expressed more please lets not become the community of hivemind and agenda pushing. Lets have interesting conversation regardless of if it aligns with your opinion.

mediterrenean 8y ago
Thanks for a detailed reply and analysis. There’s nothing I can disagree in these since it is an attempt to explain further why we do what we do. Also replying to other comments as well, life might leave one without much choice when especially living under deprived conditions and having family. But again it’s all about choices. I think downvotes are to the tone of the comment rather than the statement itself. Fair enough.