Tag Archives: apathy

Amendment 1: When Apathy Is Unethical

Sometimes you have a duty to give a damn. Continue reading

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Filed under Character, Citizenship, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics

Not That It Will Do Any Good To Say So, But U.S. Acceptance of Prison Rape Is An Ethics Outrage

In the matter of the Constitutional and human rights outrage called prison rape, the American public and their leaders just don’t give a damn. Continue reading

12 Comments

Filed under Citizenship, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Health and Medicine, Humor and Satire, Journalism & Media, Law & Law Enforcement, Popular Culture, U.S. Society

The Ethical Duty To Correct Stupidity

Preventing an unequivocal blunder you see happening in front of your eyes, or at least making the effort, is a duty, whether it is calling attention to an embarassingly mispelled word on a permanent sign going up over a highway, or telling the head of Netflix that splitting the company’s services off from each other is suicide, or telling Robert E. Lee that Pickett’s Charge is going to lose the war. Continue reading

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Filed under Business & Commercial, Government & Politics, History, U.S. Society, War and the Military, Workplace

Comment of the Day: “The Barefoot Contessa and the Compassion Bullies”

Gary’s provocative comment goes to the heart of what Ethics Alarms is all about. Here his his Comment of the Day on “The Barefoot Contessa and the Compassion Bullies.” I’ll have some additional comments at the end. Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Popular Culture, Journalism & Media, Public Service, Philanthropy, Charity, Citizenship, Comment of the Day

Custer, Gettysburg, and the Seven Enabling Virtues

On July 3, I always reflect on Custer’s grand heroism when his country needed it most, and how strange it is that he is best remembered for his worst blunder, when his greatest achievement was so much more important. I also think about how his life is a cautionary tale, reminding us of how easily our strengths can become our weaknesses, if we fail to understand how best to use them, or recognize when they are leading us astray. Continue reading

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Filed under History, War and the Military

Ethics Quote of the Week: James W.Hudson

It isn’t just that America’s widespread ignorance and apathy about our history is ungrateful and disrespectful to people like Hudson, though it certainly is that. The lack of appreciation and perspective makes its public vulnerable to lies and demogogues, unable to muster facts to counter the ongoing slander of America haters and the corrosive paranoia ofhysterics. Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Citizenship, Ethics Quotes, Finance, History, U.S. Society, War and the Military

Comment of the Day: “The Death of Ryamond Zack”

The story about the Alameda firefighters and police, as well as many citizens, standing useless on the shore as a suicidal man slowly drowned continues to receive outstanding commentary. Here is the most recent. Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under Citizenship, Government & Politics, Law & Law Enforcement, Leadership, Professions, Public Service, Philanthropy, Charity, U.S. Society, War and the Military

Flashback: “What Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax Can Teach America”

Some of the comments to the Alameda post, those making excuses for the 75 faint-hearted or apathetic citizens in that city who would rather gawk at a tragedy than try to stop it, caused me to recall the essay, which explores related issues. I wrote it, but I had nearly forgotten about the story; when I re-read it today, I got upset all over again. Here, for the second time, is “What Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax Can Teach America.”] Continue reading

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Filed under Citizenship, Daily Life, Education, History, Public Service, Philanthropy, Charity, Religion and Philosophy, U.S. Society, War and the Military

The Death of Raymond Zack: No Heroes, Only Bystanders

Why didn’t any of the 75 Almeda, California citizens on the shore try to rescue a drowning man?
Apparently it was because nobody was paid to do it. You see, stopping Raymond Zack from killing himself wasn’t anyone’s job. Continue reading

46 Comments

Filed under Citizenship, Government & Politics, Journalism & Media, Leadership, Professions, U.S. Society, War and the Military

OH NO! Political Correctness Got Me!

The consequences of absorbing a misguided social norm can be devastating. If we allow cultural values to be set by the loudest, the most zealous, the politically expedient or the most easily offended, rather than by rational evaluation, wisdom and objective analysis, we risk losing a lot more than “Penelope Pitstop.” Continue reading

8 Comments

Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Gender and Sex, Journalism & Media, Popular Culture, U.S. Society