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First. Always and forever. It just might not seem that way in the short term.

by cmos 18y ago

unalone 18y ago
Always and forever. I don't think so. I think there are a lot of nice guys who've been bumped down, kept out of the mainstream, even nice guys who've died before their time. There's no law of the world saying nice guys get ahead, even if there's none saying the opposite. I think nice guys and not-nice guys will always be neck-and-neck, and in the end it will be impossible to differentiate between the two, so it's not worth worrying about anything other than whether you yourself will be able to make it.
- cmos 18y ago
  ah yes, they may have not finished first in the 'money' or 'career' race, but they could sleep better at night.
  - unalone 18y ago
    I admire that sentiment - but I don't believe it. What about the man who lives an honest life, but because he never bends rules he finds himself stuck in a dull, endless job, who stays up at night and despairs of ever doing something meaningful? On the other side - what about the person who does things that are morally shady for the sake of creating something that's truly great? I doubt he'd even feel guilty. My point is, it's not black-and-white. And while it's nice to imagine what it would be like if it was, you can't treat this as something with only one right answer. Every one has its downsides. That's what Godin is writing about.
c1sc0 18y ago
First. History has a way of catching up with those who cross the lines on ethics. e.g. see Rosalind Franklin and James Watson. If you end up doing something truly great you'll be in the crosshairs of public attention, and boy, are you going to be wishing you're clean.
- michaelkeenan 18y ago
  There are historical examples of unethical behavior that was noticed and consequences occurred. But the amount of unethical behavior that wasn't noticed, and wasn't recorded in history, is unknowable. We don't know what percentage of unethical behavior history catches up with. As I see it, a sufficient reason to be ethical is that it's right, not because it's rewarding to wealth or reputation.

First. Always and forever. It just might not seem that way in the short term.

by cmos 18y ago

First. Always and forever. It just might not seem that way in the short term.

Always and forever. I don't think so. I think there are a lot of nice guys who've been bumped down, kept out of the mainstream, even nice guys who've died before their time. There's no law of the world saying nice guys get ahead, even if there's none saying the opposite. I think nice guys and not-nice guys will always be neck-and-neck, and in the end it will be impossible to differentiate between the two, so it's not worth worrying about anything other than whether you yourself will be able to make it.

cmos 18y ago
ah yes, they may have not finished first in the 'money' or 'career' race, but they could sleep better at night.
- unalone 18y ago
  I admire that sentiment - but I don't believe it. What about the man who lives an honest life, but because he never bends rules he finds himself stuck in a dull, endless job, who stays up at night and despairs of ever doing something meaningful? On the other side - what about the person who does things that are morally shady for the sake of creating something that's truly great? I doubt he'd even feel guilty. My point is, it's not black-and-white. And while it's nice to imagine what it would be like if it was, you can't treat this as something with only one right answer. Every one has its downsides. That's what Godin is writing about.

c1sc0 18y ago

First. History has a way of catching up with those who cross the lines on ethics. e.g. see Rosalind Franklin and James Watson. If you end up doing something truly great you'll be in the crosshairs of public attention, and boy, are you going to be wishing you're clean.

michaelkeenan 18y ago
There are historical examples of unethical behavior that was noticed and consequences occurred. But the amount of unethical behavior that wasn't noticed, and wasn't recorded in history, is unknowable. We don't know what percentage of unethical behavior history catches up with. As I see it, a sufficient reason to be ethical is that it's right, not because it's rewarding to wealth or reputation.