Hoop Dreams...

In a recent discussion that I had with a University President, we talked sportsmanship. He said that in a basketball game, if a ball is clearly out of bounds by your own team, but the players on your team are pointing to the other team in hopes of influencing the referee’s perception, there is a problem. Is this view of ethics too stringent?

If you think that this is not too stringent a view, what does it then say about politician’s level of accountability for the unfounded finger pointing that they engage in during election campaigns? We’ve been talking about the ethical behavior of for profit firms in this class. What about the ethical accountability of each of us in our daily lives…in our daily interactions with all those around us? Isn’t looking at the ethical behavior of companies like KBR or Enron like looking at the symptoms’ instead of the cause.

We’ve talked about the revolving door of government and corporate America in the context of public officials selling out the interests of Americans for their personal interests. But what are we doing about it at the individual level? It may be appropriate to talk about Machiavelli and his work suggesting that what is right is dictated by who is in the position of power (idea that might makes right). The idea of a tyranny of the majority (JSM) would seem to be all but impossible in a society in which big money, special interests, and politicians seem to control the playing field? It seems to be lies upon lies told by these groups in their efforts to control the game? Is it really possible that they really believe that what they’re doing is truthful? Has truth lost relevance?

What would you do if a player from your favorite team walked over to the ref on the deciding point of the game and argued that the ball was actually out on him and that the other team should get the ball? How would you honestly react? Does it even matter?