The anti corruption wave is the in thing these days and corruption has become a coffee table topic. Everyone has a view on it. Whether it be the colleagues in the cafeteria, the guards, the bus drivers, conductors and auto drivers or your own flat mates and domestic help. The views on corruption and morality differ from people to people and it’s difficult to draw the Line of Control separating the two states.
My view too is quite grey and I’m unable to take a clear stand on this issue. However, what I definitely believe is that the real test of one’s character, morality and ethical beliefs comes into picture when one is pushed to the walls and is then expected to behave in a particular manner. It’s very easy to sit in your drawing room and have a view that no matter happens stealing is not the right thing to do. What’s important is that if you have a family of 5 to feed and there’s not a single rupee in your pocket, what would you do? Which side of the LOC would you be on? Would being perceived right or wrong or holding on to your beliefs be more important or feeding your family. I know this example is not suited to the situation our country is in and our politicians are anything but starving, but it’s a fine test of morality and ethics.
On the other hand, if you know that getting into a prestigious college/B-school can be an important catalyst to your career and your father or uncle can help you get an admission with their influence, would you take that option or “waste” a year or opportunity and take the “right” path. It’s small situations like these from where corruption stems. Rigging the electricity meters, paying touts to obtain driving license and passports for the sake of convenience, sending gifts to your insurance agent to make sure that your claim is processed are small everyday practices that we are accustomed to. It’s the big scams that plague our country and make the headlines, but it’s these small everyday “realities” from where they stem and all of us have our part to play in it.
As I said before there is not a clear line of distinction between moral and amoral and ethical and unethical and it’s a fine line dividing the two.
