02/08/2026
ETHICAL PARADOXES
Know the people around you, and do not be afraid to stand alone. Have you ever met well meaning people who conveniently lack courage, morals, and integrity? While these characteristics are beautiful to spout, they can all be inconvenient and uncomfortable when needing to be executed. Years ago, it mattered what people thought of me. Back then, I abused and used my shyness as a crutch. Due to my low self esteem and fear of isolation from the masses, I used silence and deflection because they were more comfortable tools to use than speaking out against others who boldly operated to satisfy their self serving needs.
Today, and after years of therapy, self evaluation, and soul searching, I discovered courage in the face of fear. I had to determine what it meant to me to show up for myself and others, even when my voice and views may have been unpopular. At times, my views presented ethical paradoxes for those around me. Those closest to me, who silently postulated as bearers of morality, were forced to look at themselves. How they chose to address ethical paradoxes often exposed the problems they faced within themselves.
Having a lack of moral courage and collective weaknesses have the ability to work against us, especially in group settings. A group’s ability to remain high-performing relies on each member’s ability to be honest, trustworthy, respectful, transparent, and accountable. In fact, collective weakness among group members will forever erode its core values and become the antithesis to trust and progress. In this hour, I am reminded about the story of the whistleblower who was frowned upon because the sound of the whistle hurt others ears. Or, the fireman who was scolded by the group for smelling like smoke after putting out fires created by the one holding matches. Do you have the courage to speak truth to power in the face of fear, especially when it’s inconveniently, uncomfortable, and unpopular? Who are you?
Have a great day!
Mike
❤️👌🏾
