IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LEADER

The English author Kingsley Amis once proudly said, “I want more than my share before anyone else has had any.” Had Amis been a child when he made this statement, it might strike us as humorous. But coming from an adult, Amis's statement seems to reflect a morally deficient attitude. Beneficiaries of successful parenting and socialization appreciate the fact that what is best for them sometimes conflicts with what is best for others. For example, while our interests might be served by eating half the cocktail shrimp ourselves, blaming the manager of another department for something he did not do, or stealing an idea from a subordinate, such behavior certainly does not serve the respective interests of the other people at the party, the falsely accused co-worker down the hall, or the follower who did not get credit for what was rightfully his.

Most of us also learn early on to abide by moral rules to resolve such conflicts of interest when they occur. We morally ought to “share and share alike,” take responsibility for our actions by telling the truth when we have behaved badly, and respect the property – including the intellectual property – of others. One purpose of these rules is to constrain our behavior so that we do not inappropriately privilege our own interests. In fact, without the motivation of self-interest, there is a question as to whether we would need moral rules at all.