Real Life Ethics!

Hm. I if you are in trouble for something you did, even though you think you were in the right, should you lie about it?

As part of my ongoing campaign to increase my stress level, I was reading local bicycle harassment stories instead of doing homework. An example: Bus driver dangerously cuts off cyclist and gives cyclist the finger, gets reported, denies all. Him being the antagonist of this story, I thought "what an evil-doer, and to lie about it to boot!"

But then, the critical question: what would I have done in his shoes? Obviously, I would not have flipped off the cyclist, and I can't drive a bus. But, strip it down: to be in a public service position, and go against one's employer's wishes in an act of believed righteousness. That is ethically what the bus driver did, and it is something I would do too, depending on the circumstance (of course, it seems the bus driver and I have a very different idea of righteousness).

But would I lie about it later? In my line of work, I would never lie about anything I do - the well-being of children are at stake, and thus I yield to the judgment of my managers. That's not fair though; I'll have to imagine if I drove a bus. And that does, indeed, change things.

So, bird-flipping aside, was the bus driver right to lie about it? I'm leaning towards no. By working for this agency, the bus driver has committed him/herself to represent them and perform the agreed-upon duties. If their policies conflict with your personal campaign of righteousness, it is not honest to be in their employ. They provide the bus driver with pay and benefits, and to take those pay and benefits while not returning it with good work, I think, is not right.

So, I think I will never lie to an employer.

BUT would I lie to my government? My government, who provides me with many services at a small cost - services I depend on? My government, who is (theoretically) supported by my society, who in turn raised me and educated me? What they ask for in return is that I obey their laws. I don't. Not all of them.

Now, that is tough. I can't reconcile my rejection of many aspects of the government and society with my debt to them. I currently feel no overpowering moral obligation to be honest to an agent of the government, such as a police officer or a court of law. What is my right? What am I entitled to?