fatness

On Ethics, and My Big Mouth

This week I mouthed off on Twitter and in person about the Ethics of others. Oddly, did you know that there is no written standard, universally accepted code of ethics and morals. Apparently personal ethics are subjective and business ethics are only business ethics if they have been written down and pre-agreed to.

It started with The Girl Scouts. I was explaining to folks why I never sold a single box of cookies to a client, or to a homeless or financially marginalized person who was not a client. Why? Because it was un-ethical to let it be perceived that by buying cookies from my Girl Scout mother/leader self, they would get better service from Social Worker Sonya. When asked to sell them cookies, I told this population exactly why I wouldn’t abuse my position that way. Also, although I know that their Public Assistance Funds were often used for Hookers, Drugs and Smokes (sounds like a rock album, eh?) I doubted the average tax payer wants to subsidize cookies for the poor, and Scouts don’t accept Food Stamps. These were concepts I plugged into Jax when she was a little kid, and my Bonus Rental Kids will learn over time.

I am uptight. Who knew? I m not always perfectly honest, but I do try to keep the lying down and only let it happen with my mother. She is old, sick, and even more judgemental than I am. Trust me, it is easier (except I am not really that smart, so I always get caught).

But the situation I knee jerk reacted to and told someone that I was disappointed that they associated with un-ethical people had to do with my concept of professional ethical ickyness such as:

• 1. Turning a romantic partner into a client (particularly where large sums of money are involved)
• 2. Sleeping with a client , or trying to
• 3. Being in a position of influence or power  and not disclosing your romantic relationship with an applicant for employment or club membership under your reign  
• 4. Starting, or maintaining a romantic/sexual relationship for better access to money, services, people of influence, employment or  membership
• 5. Repeatedly lying about  or denying your practices (seriously, do what you feel you need to or want to do, but do it in the light) until cornered

Why do I think these are issues? Because they are designed to be partial to some clients. customers, partners. that is, unless you plan to try to sleep with all customers.

Perhaps I am not dialed in to the more common culture. When I went to one of the parties involved and expressed my concern in person – I was told that living up to my standards would cost thousands of dollars and if I wanted them to change their mode of operations, I should just give them my money so they did not feel a financial impact.

The recipient of my Twitter outburst has asked me to tell them what Ethical Breach I am referring to. Maybe I am sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong and should not interfere more.  Or maybe I think that if you have not discussed rules of acceptable professional conduct among yourselves – or more possible – that these actions do not violate your standards, well, that is your choice.  Mostly, however, I think that if you have not vetted your perspective and current peers to discover this is going on , it isn’t my place to point you to this and you deserve what you get and should stop wondering why people and businesses are disassociating from you.

I almost quit my job

I picked my attitude: war paint on, hair plastered into braids, I’m wearing Yoga pants so I can get up and down from the floor where I’ve stacked and prioritized my work.

And then the computer attacked. It said “NO”! Now, I have never failed at anything in my life (except for learning the domestic arts-but I never really tried anyway). I was going to punch that stupid machine and it’s evil side kick NotPrinting4u HP Laser jet!!!
This is Sofia. She scared my computer straight. I made her a sign so now I think we’re even.