"Our inspiration for writing this book springs from a deep feeling for people and a grave concern that without a proper understanding of the reasons for their inhumanity in relation to one another and the development of a compassionate world view, it is likely that human beings may eventually destroy themselves and life on the planet. Despite all of the advances in science and technology, if one takes a proper look at the world situation today, one must consider it to be utter madness. Millions go hungry, genocide reaches epic proportions, ethnic strife and prejudice are omnipresent, there is mass killing in the name of religion, and warfare remains a widely accepted solution to humankind’s differences. With better, more efficient weapons, and less reason, and with technology outrunning rationality, there can only be dire consequences...
Feeling and compassion are a significant part of our human heritage, but when faced with overwhelming primal pain, we develop defenses to eliminate the ensuing suffering. However, we cannot shut down our emotions selectively. In attempting to do so, we necessarily limit our capacity to feel love and joy as well. To the extent that we rely on psychological defenses, we tend to become emotionally deadened and lose spirit. Once cut off from feelings, we are desensitized toward ourselves and become not only more self-destructive but more likely to act out aggression toward others...
This book approaches the subject of ethics from a unique psychological perspective that is not meant to be judgmental or moralistic. The authors are not prescribing, setting standards, or listing moral principles to be lived up to. We are not blaming, but accounting for destructive, unethical conduct. Our effort is directed toward explaining the source of this behavior, making clear its manifestations, and suggesting a treatment modality for coping with negative, acting-out behavior.Our hope is that by understanding these dynamics and methods for altering unethical ways of living, people can transform themselves and develop better, more successful modes of relating."
Chapter Excerpts from Ethics of Interpersonal Relationships
Chapter Excerpt: "The Ethics of Leadership"
"Despite its importance to the United States and the world, leadership has not been a leading topic in the field of psychology...In evaluating leaders from an ethical perspective, one must consider whether their words and actions reflect a humanistic, empathic attitude toward all people, and whether the means they employ as well as the end results ultimately do no harm.
In this section, the authors discuss the components that comprise effective leadership and those that satisfy the criteria for ethical leadership. We describe the characteristics of destructive, unethical leaders and analyze their harmful effects on business enterprises, government institutions, political decision-making, and on society-at-large. In our analysis, we emphasize that the psychological make-up of the leader is crucial in determining whether the leadership is effective or ineffective, ethical or unethical.We then explore the personality traits of the members of a “good” as well as a “bad” followership and examine the dynamics of the interaction between leaders and their followers. We provide an analysis of the paradoxical reality that destructive leaders attract and retain the loyalty of so many people."
Chapter Excerpt: "Power and the Corruption of Power"
"Power per se, like leadership, is neither positive nor negative; it is neutral or amoral. However, the specific types of power that people tend to develop over time and the methods whereby they utilize the power they have accumulated, to either inspire or to dominate other people, can be evaluated from an ethical point of view...
The sources of power available to individuals vary across cultures, subcultures, and interest groups. Every society or mini-culture places high value on specific personality traits or achievements of its members; thus, individuals with these traits have considerable influence or power within that group. For example, in the political arena, the orator who is charismatic and convincing or the former general who succeeded in battle can rise to a prominent position; in a motorcycle gang, the most daring and fastest rider becomes the leader; in the business world, the executive whose company generates high earnings possesses considerable prestige; in sports, the player who is named “most valuable player” will be more popular than his teammates.
People have the tendency to deify their heroes and leaders. This idealization holds true even when leaders do not exhibit positive ethical qualities and have a negative influence on their supporters and society at large. The halo effect based of the desirable characteristics that originally earned a leader power enables people to follow inadequate or even potentially destructive leaders
There is a clear distinction between the accumulation of power as part of one’s self-development, self-assertion, and a natural, healthy striving for love, satisfaction and meaning in one’s interpersonal world, and the amassing of power as part of a defensive process."
