Kant Leadership

In chapter three of The Ethics of Leadership, Joanne B. Ciulla, introduces the moral philosophy of Prussian philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who developed a set of ethics to guide our decisions and help us judge whether certain actions are morally correct. Kant’s moral theory does not look at all into consequences and has a very strict view of morality which can sometimes conflict between duty and self-interest. Ciulla mentions the story of David and Bathsheba in the Bible and asserts, “Leaders are often tempted to lie because they believe they either won’t get caught, or they can cover up their lies.” (Ciulla, 94) This assertion rings ever so true in light of the recent scandals involving the increase in U.S. politicians that have confessed to adultery. As marriage and family are often regarded as a basis of society, a story of adultery often shows the conflict between social pressure and individual struggle for happiness. Adultery is a very American topic. We have been redefining the parameters of its
politics since Thomas Jefferson. However, politicians' affairs were generally kept outside the purview of the public eye. Over the years we have began to see a change. Society is somehow fascinated with the whole idea of adultery and the entertainment industry celebrates it and portrays it mostly in a very romantic light. I am guilty of watching shows such as “The Good Wife”, a show about the wife and family of a politician involved in a sexual scandal or “Desperate Housewives” that romanticize and make adultery seem like the right thing to do if you need a little excitement in your life. Perhaps by watching TV shows like this, one is being conditioned to do what makes him or her happy or do whatever feels good or “right”. Oftentimes, whatever feels “right” is described as whatever comes easily or naturally for an individual. Our society seems obsessed with finding “happiness” which the Kantian philosophy totally