Four “myths” of the culture that challenge our ethics!

Over the years, speaking and training with many clients and doing substantial research, I have come to identify four overwhelming “myths” of our culture that are touted as values. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but is meant to start the conversation about what else may need to be added.

The four myths are:

1.        Pain:

This culture is trying to tell us that “pain” must be avoided at all costs and at may price. Pain isn’t all bad is it? Are we not in the preventive maintenance mode? If your car is not running right, isn’t an alternator cheaper than an engine? If your body is not feeling right, isn’t going to a doctor now, better than waiting a year when it might be more expensive and life threatening?

2.        Happiness:

If your goal is to be “happy” in life you may up a miserable human being. Will Rogers once said: “If you want to be happy you need to do three things:, believe, know, and love what you do and you will be happy. Happiness, then is a journey not an end result.”

3.       Being “Me oriented .”

This stems from the belief of many that self esteem is solely wrapped up in how much money one makes. This is a lie! Self esteem is my perception of myself in relationship to the world, not the world’s perception of me. If someone doesn’t like you for who or what you really are, it’s not your problem. No one can make you feel anything without your permission. Don’t give it to them.

4.        Competition:

When winning isn’t the only thing, it’s everything, we have  serious moral dilemmas, much less legal dilemmas. How bad do you want to win? At any cost? Look at sports as an example. When was the last time there was an Olympics without steroid charges; how about Lance Armstrong; Wall Street execs; Banking issues? How bad? Any price?

Hope this triggers further insights and examples.