Broach the subject of corruption with most people, and there's an almost instant reaction. We understandably get apoplectic about the cases of corruption evident in corporations like BP or rogue traders like Nick Leeson. I even remember some self-righteous media pundits lamenting the blow to baseball represented by Pete Rose betting on the game.
We all get irate when facing these levels of unethical behavior, or even when a loved one betrays a trust. But this is when it would be timely to remember Shakespeare's counsel in moments of self-righteous indignation: Methinks you doth protest too much.
It's well known in psychology that we can often tee off on behavior outside that we also partake in, and that can be a tough pill to swallow. It takes all the honesty and virtue we can muster to see that external conduct as a mirror reflecting back our own sins. But it is exactly this that's required of us today. Because one thing we must admit - if the world has gone astray, chances are pretty good we've contributed to that.
A Cure for Corruption, this time on Thinking with Somebody Else's Head.
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