A Question of Ethics

I've been having some interesting discussions recently about the ethics of violating copyright laws in terms of all the cut and paste use of unauthorized images (such as many of the pictures on this site) or burning a CD / DVD to "share" music or movies with a friend. There are some very good issues on this topic being addressed here.

I am taking a deeper look at my own practices and working toward more honest ownership of the areas where I fall back on rationalization and justification for stuff that it would be better if I simply did not do.

Deviance is viewed differently by different people to be sure. In my mind, if I cross YOUR moral code it doesn't trouble me all that much. But if I can't walk my own talk in terms of integrity, then something clearly is out of whack. I'll be working on this.

What I am recognizing more all the time is that what I consider Right or Wrong does NOT necessarily match the standards for what is legal / illegal or what may be viewed as socially acceptable or deviant.

There are things that are completely, totally legal (such as smoking cigarettes, watching pornography, or being lazy) that I choose to avoid because they cross my moral code.

There are other things that are ILLEGAL, but are such a matter of common practice that most people --myself included--think nothing of violating (such as driving 5 miles over the speed limit). Unauthorized use of private images or other intellectual property is fast approaching this category.

However, just because "everyone is doing it" does not make it right. That's the kind of thinking that created the kool aid catastrphe in Jim Jones's Guyana melt down.

Observing a stupid rule just because it is the rule seems suspect. But at what point is it ethical to violate codes I do not happen to agree with? (Such as my refusal to puchase a licence for my dog.) Face it, if everyone agreed with a given policy or regulation we wouldn't need the rule at all, because individuals' internal values would take care of the situation. The whole reason we make and enforce rules in our society is to provide guidelines and sanctions for those who would otherwise do the thing we forbid. So no spittin' on the sidewalk ya uncouth bum!

I will continue to search and pray and ponder over the issue of ethics and integrity... trying to discern not just what I can get away with or what is acceptable in the eyes of the world, but what, for ME, is "right" and what is "wrong", fully recognizing that my answers may be very different from yours...