Glenn Reynolds is feeling like a chump and wants to know if this is a problem.
Nope, not a chump, and no, this doesn't indicate a societal problem, and here's why.
Ethical behavior is based on the proposition that there are higher standards of behavior than 'dog eat dog'. This proposition is unprovable, and quite possibly wrong, but appears to be universal. This belief that we are more than animals drives us to act in ways that are not directly beneficial for our survival. We can easily demonstrate that ethical behavior results in the ethical individual competing at a disadvantage to those without ethics. The fact that we are consciously acting against our own best interests causes the primitive part of our brain, the part closest to our animal origins, to revolt.
Survival dictates that we act in our own self interest at all times. The primitive portion of our brain cannot appreciate complex concepts like enlightened self interest, personal honor, or integrity. Therefore it sends a message back to the conscious brain basically saying "You IDIOT! Don't you EVER do something like that again!" All that gets through in most cases is a mild feeling of sheepishness, or feeling like a chump.
Consider the alternative, though. We have a name for folks who listen to their primitive brain. We call them sociopaths.
Cheer up Glenn. You're in good company!
Posted by Rich at January 31, 2002 3:36 PM