This is an old posting from a Yahoo group. This raises some ethical questions. I am posting it as it is. The I in the posting is the author of the Yahoo posting.
Whenever we talk about Dronacharya and Bhishma we think of Dharma and Karma(duties). Both these terms are used for duty. I thought I would share my experiences with the members. Not that it would provide any definite answers but at least it may help. I am talking only about duty relating to the workplace.
You know that there is a word in Hindi called Dharmasankat meaning a dilemma regarding Dharma. A similar word is there in Tamil also. This shows that this problem has been there for ages. What Bhishma and Dhrona faced was Dharmasankat. Many scholars have discussed this in depth. But generally it is believed that their duty was to the reigning King and so they fought against the Pandavas. The counterpoint is that it was against dharma (truth). So they were wrong. But I have always wondered why the Pandavas did not migrate to some other place and set up themselves. They wanted some part of the kingdom of Dhurudharashstra. Being the eldest son of the eldest son Dhuryodhana inherited everything. In English law the first-born inherits everything. In one community in India there was a rule that only the first son could get married. The other sons not only did not inherit any property, but also did not even have the right to get married. I am only trying to show that Karma and Dharma also depend on the times you live in. When you read the epics in any religion you find there is no black and white. It is all shades of gray.
I believe that my Dharma or karma is to act in the interest of the company, which employs me. If you think that the company is doing something wrong or unethical you quit the company.
When you join the army you are expected to kill people in the defense of the country. If you do not believe in it do not join the army. Remember the draft evaders during the Vietnam War. In India during the British rule most of the freedom fighters left the employ of the government.
Quite early in my career I had to seek the help of the police in evicting the owner of a property, which the company had bid in auction for recovery of some dues. When the police and our officers landed up there they found only the housewife and two small children.(this was a
trick played by the husband who was hiding somewhere nearby) It was raining on that day and the authorities evicted them, threw out their belongings and handed over possession. The officers who went there came back and accused me of being inhuman. I felt awful. But I was only doing my duty.
Again once as a security trader I did a couple of deals, which resulted in a profit of about Rs. 8 crores. (US $ 2 million). Many of us ripped off a greenhorn dealer. Later one of the dealers told me that the concerned dealer was in danger of losing his job. We felt bad and over the next one-month or so arranged some sweet deals for him and he did not lose his job.
But the real Dharmasankat comes from within the company. The real owners of any widely held company are the shareholders. The C.E.O is only an employee. His actions may not always be in the interest of the company. What do you do then? As a dealer many C.E.O s wanted us to do deals, which will result in immediate and short-term profits but will result in losses in the long term. I have always refused to do such deals.
(To be continued)(only if there are responses)
Whenever we talk about Dronacharya and Bhishma we think of Dharma and Karma(duties). Both these terms are used for duty. I thought I would share my experiences with the members. Not that it would provide any definite answers but at least it may help. I am talking only about duty relating to the workplace.
You know that there is a word in Hindi called Dharmasankat meaning a dilemma regarding Dharma. A similar word is there in Tamil also. This shows that this problem has been there for ages. What Bhishma and Dhrona faced was Dharmasankat. Many scholars have discussed this in depth. But generally it is believed that their duty was to the reigning King and so they fought against the Pandavas. The counterpoint is that it was against dharma (truth). So they were wrong. But I have always wondered why the Pandavas did not migrate to some other place and set up themselves. They wanted some part of the kingdom of Dhurudharashstra. Being the eldest son of the eldest son Dhuryodhana inherited everything. In English law the first-born inherits everything. In one community in India there was a rule that only the first son could get married. The other sons not only did not inherit any property, but also did not even have the right to get married. I am only trying to show that Karma and Dharma also depend on the times you live in. When you read the epics in any religion you find there is no black and white. It is all shades of gray.
I believe that my Dharma or karma is to act in the interest of the company, which employs me. If you think that the company is doing something wrong or unethical you quit the company.
When you join the army you are expected to kill people in the defense of the country. If you do not believe in it do not join the army. Remember the draft evaders during the Vietnam War. In India during the British rule most of the freedom fighters left the employ of the government.
Quite early in my career I had to seek the help of the police in evicting the owner of a property, which the company had bid in auction for recovery of some dues. When the police and our officers landed up there they found only the housewife and two small children.(this was a
trick played by the husband who was hiding somewhere nearby) It was raining on that day and the authorities evicted them, threw out their belongings and handed over possession. The officers who went there came back and accused me of being inhuman. I felt awful. But I was only doing my duty.
Again once as a security trader I did a couple of deals, which resulted in a profit of about Rs. 8 crores. (US $ 2 million). Many of us ripped off a greenhorn dealer. Later one of the dealers told me that the concerned dealer was in danger of losing his job. We felt bad and over the next one-month or so arranged some sweet deals for him and he did not lose his job.
But the real Dharmasankat comes from within the company. The real owners of any widely held company are the shareholders. The C.E.O is only an employee. His actions may not always be in the interest of the company. What do you do then? As a dealer many C.E.O s wanted us to do deals, which will result in immediate and short-term profits but will result in losses in the long term. I have always refused to do such deals.
(To be continued)(only if there are responses)
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