Integrity in Society

Finding integrity in individuals in society today can be a daunting task. Many people simply do not have the moral fiber of earlier generations. An individual's integrity is truly tested when a weakness is touched. Someone with integrity will certainly feel a sting weak that weakness is exploited, but someone that lacks integrity will exploit weaknesses, whether it is their own weakness, or someone else's weakness, in the interest of personal gain, prestige, or to maintain the status quo. Sometimes, an individual's lack of integrity can make it seem like they are on top of the world. Often, it is due to optimizing damage to the shatter points of the weaknesses of others. Those that lack integrity often put themselves on a pedestal, making it quite easy to be knocked down by the next one to come along. Once they are on that pedestal, most of their energy is spend trying to stay on top, with no focus on what should be their true goal. Those with integrity will work hard to build a career on a solid foundation. Instead of sitting on a pedestal, they have built up walls of integrity on the foundation of hard work and perseverance. Integrity is only forged through adversity, and a lack of integrity is often a sign of someone that would rather find the easy way than the way that is right.
Integrity is one element of good character. It crosses the full socio-political spectrum, for without it all other views and values remain useless Stephen Carter calls integrity a pre-political virtue. It comes first in the list of human virtues because it gives meaning to all the rest of what we say and believe (Integrity/Harper Collins/1996/xl).

Social integrity results from individuals of integrity. Following such social viruses as the Enron scandal, educational centers began examining the issues of ethics and values. This revealed a problem that Associated Press called “ubiquity.” Cheating was everywhere, launching red hot dialogue for educators.

Corporate v Individual