A634.7.4.RB- Egoism: Psychological and Moral

 

What is your view on egoism?

            Since there are so many different facets of egoism I tend to view it by how an individual acts based on "when" they benefit and not necessarily how. I can't really think of an act that doesn't somehow benefit an individual, and really the hardest thing about all this is in the proof of it. How can you prove or disprove an act based on self-interest or not? How can I prove your selfless act doesn't somehow please you? If your motivation for selflessness is centered only on a feeling of good inside then why does that quantify altruism versus egoism as Ziniewicz (n.d.) defines? As stated previously, the "when" is what tips the scales from altruism to egoism for me personally. If an individual benefits in the here and now from something then I deem that action in the egoism realm, and we all act that way with many daily actions. The human interaction aspect also needs to be looked act when judging egoism.

How do you see ego getting in the way of ethical decisions in the workplace?

            How will a given interaction or dilemma affect an individual, myself, and the organization as a whole needs to all be considered when addressing ego. Maybe they all benefit, but I highly doubt it because interests never tend to satisfy all needs, and this is why egoism is difficult to manage. Audi (2009) references the notion that we are in-fact individuals but also reside as a collective that can all benefit. I don't think an individual will provide a good work ethic if they are motivated or inclined to do so. Many argue that motivation is unethical and egoistic. If money motivates me because I want to provide for my family and self, then obviously my action of work is in some form of egoism. I may not desire to do the actual work but am doing it because in some fashion it pleases me, even though the actions are good or others.

Should leaders get benefits others do not receive? 

            Leader incentives are seen all the time by subordinates and typically they don't hold very good regard for those who aren't receiving them. As a young subordinate I remember questioning why these leaders are receiving extra benefits based on the work that I and my peers were doing. If we are all doing our job then why does one facet receive an extra benefit? Now I would agree that all should benefit, but some argue that simple employment is your benefit and that we shouldn't seek more or feel entitled. Overtly presenting a leader with an additional benefit can really do two things, it can motivate individuals to strive to attain higher positions to receive these benefits, or it can distract workers and hamper further work efforts.

How could leaders be better rewarded to promote ethical behavior?

            Maybe organizations best benefit not only for the production leaders bring to the table but rather the how. I also argue that leaders may take advantage of this facet to mask their inability to produce. For me personally just about every facet of everything needs to find balance and moderation. We should never strive to exemplify only one facet or reward a certain something. We should strive to always look at the big picture, but also respect individual perspectives as well. One major problem with rewarding is that they typically are seen in the here and now versus focusing on the sacrifices that it took to get there. Even though sacrifices are made in the short-term, a corporation's vision should be as far out to the extent of relevance.

References

Audi, R. (2009). Objectivity without Egoism: Toward Balance in Business Ethics. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 8(2), 263-274. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40214597

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Ziniewicz, G. (n.d.). Obstacle to Ethics: Egoism. Retrieved from https://www.americanphilosophy.com/bus_eth/egoism.html