Eight Keys for Success: The Sliding Scale of Morality
Bottom Line: As part of my annual series, Eight Keys for Success, here’s The Sliding Scale of Morality...
We all have a sliding scale of morality. None of us are perfect, hopefully none of us are pure evil. So, on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being evil and 10 being perfect, we're all somewhere in between. But we're also not static numbers on that scale either. On the scale five represents neutral. Someone who's neither inherently good nor bad. Someone who wouldn’t go out of their way to help others but also wouldn’t intentionally harm anyone. We're all somewhere on the scale but some start higher, and some seem to slide further than others. Here’s the concept.
Let's say for example that you're an eight at your best. Perhaps at your worst you're a five. In that scenario you’re generally an honest and decent person. Even when you're the worst version of yourself you still wouldn't intentionally hurt others. However, someone who starts at say a six, could very easily become a three when they're at their worst. That person would seemingly be a decent person at best but dishonest and potentially harmful at worst.
In our lives it’s important to surround ourselves with those who won’t hurt others during times of adversity and to be mindful of those in our lives who’re willing to do so. It’s how good people become duped by those who aren’t. Until one’s faced with adversity, it’s hard to tell what they’re capable of or what the strength of one’s character might be. We’re all sinners, we’re all flawed, and we all fall somewhere on the Sliding Scale of Morality.