Moral / ethical differences with your work

[Anonymous]

How much moral compromise do you make at job, and why?
What can you overlook, and how do you do it?

I am wrestling with a potential job change and this is on my mind. Overall, no big dilemma. But this part of the decision matrix, and I am torn about how to proceed.

[Anonymous]

Is your potential difference in the product/services of the company- it’s an oil and gas company and you believe in solar power and wind energy? Or is it the CEOs and others live on the line of illegality in their management decisions? Some folks can push one or both of those differences aside and take the money if only job they can get, but if not only job you can get, why even considering?

[Anonymous]

I’m a lobbyist. It’s an everyday battle between things like ‘this is good for the company but bad for the community/environment/my morality’

I justify it by saying it’s not my decisions being made and I’m just a cog in the machine.

[Anonymous]

I am also a lobbyist. I have strict personal rules about the types of clients I will take on, but I don’t have rules about who I will lobby. I believe in a bipartisan approach and compromise as the best path to lasting solutions, but it can be really hard to hold my nose and tongue.

[Anonymous]

I work for a national org that gets bad press. I am not in the department that is responsible for the bad policies, but those policies are justly criticized. My department actively tries to change things from the inside, but it’ll ultimately require the board to act and fire the head of that department for substantial improvements to go through. In the meantime, we keep trying for small wins because it’s an issue we believe in.

[Anonymous]

I’m a lawyer and this doesn’t keep me up at night at all. Every person and company needs counsel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a lobbyist. It’s an everyday battle between things like ‘this is good for the company but bad for the community/environment/my morality’

I justify it by saying it’s not my decisions being made and I’m just a cog in the machine.

Truly Hannah Arendt is more and more relevant with every passing day.

[Anonymous]

I won't do something that would put me in jail but otherwise I don't care.

[Anonymous]

It matters a lot to me. When I worked at a company that sometimes presented a values conflict, it gnawed at me. My current job is not like that, which is a relief. Money isn't everything to me.

[Anonymous]

Yes. The ultra woke, DEI worship, speech code liberal orthodoxy at my law firm is morally problematic for me. Like most of the academy and professional world in the US, we’ve allowed a bunch of incompetent children to arrogate to themselves massive amounts of power because doing otherwise (and speaking against it) would render one an untouchable conservative, racist, misogynist fascist, etc etc… yawn.

But, you just deal with it. Pat them on the head and focus on the actual work. I know many others feel the same way, as it’s discussed frequently in private. But these are the times in which we live. I’m no hero and care more about living a comfortable life with my family and friends than I do taking a principled stand at work. So, I and many others just go along quietly, allowing the incompetents to fail upward year on year. Whatever. Once I hit my 30MM I’ll be happily on my way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The ultra woke, DEI worship, speech code liberal orthodoxy at my law firm is morally problematic for me. Like most of the academy and professional world in the US, we’ve allowed a bunch of incompetent children to arrogate to themselves massive amounts of power because doing otherwise (and speaking against it) would render one an untouchable conservative, racist, misogynist fascist, etc etc… yawn.

But, you just deal with it. Pat them on the head and focus on the actual work. I know many others feel the same way, as it’s discussed frequently in private. But these are the times in which we live. I’m no hero and care more about living a comfortable life with my family and friends than I do taking a principled stand at work. So, I and many others just go along quietly, allowing the incompetents to fail upward year on year. Whatever. Once I hit my 30MM I’ll be happily on my way.

You are truly a noble warrior.

Or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The ultra woke, DEI worship, speech code liberal orthodoxy at my law firm is morally problematic for me. Like most of the academy and professional world in the US, we’ve allowed a bunch of incompetent children to arrogate to themselves massive amounts of power because doing otherwise (and speaking against it) would render one an untouchable conservative, racist, misogynist fascist, etc etc… yawn.

But, you just deal with it. Pat them on the head and focus on the actual work. I know many others feel the same way, as it’s discussed frequently in private. But these are the times in which we live. I’m no hero and care more about living a comfortable life with my family and friends than I do taking a principled stand at work. So, I and many others just go along quietly, allowing the incompetents to fail upward year on year. Whatever. Once I hit my 30MM I’ll be happily on my way.

Uh huh. Sure.

[Anonymous]

Attorney here working for a government agency with a mission that I admire. I’m surprised that it makes such a positive difference in my outlook. I love that what I do —> positive impact in the world in some small way.

[Anonymous]

I’ve always looked for work/companies that are at least trying to improve something. I’ve been pretty lucky so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always looked for work/companies that are at least trying to improve something. I’ve been pretty lucky so far.

I’m a computer scientist, so it’s not hard to find ethically neutral/positive overall work as long you one avoids like the NSA and Meta.