{"id":3653,"date":"2023-08-08T05:15:27","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T09:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/is-there-a-difference-between-right-and-wrong-frank-sonnenberg-online\/"},"modified":"2023-08-08T05:15:27","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T09:15:27","slug":"is-there-a-difference-between-right-and-wrong-frank-sonnenberg-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/is-there-a-difference-between-right-and-wrong-frank-sonnenberg-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There a Difference Between Right and Wrong? \u2014 Frank Sonnenberg Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Some people think you learn the difference between right and wrong in some magical way. Others think schools or houses of worship are where morality and values should be taught. The truth is, if you<\/em> don\u2019t accept responsibility<\/a> for shaping the moral character<\/a> of the next generation, you\u2019re leaving it all up to chance.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n

Morality affects everything we do. Morals and values are the fabric that binds us together, creating an orderly, civilized society from chaos and anarchy. If we don\u2019t distinguish right from wrong the truth will become debatable, intolerance will become acceptable, greed will run rampant, and laws won\u2019t be worth the paper they\u2019re written on.<\/p>\n

Morals are not some abstract, theoretical, idealistic goal forever beyond our reach. Principles \u2014 or lack of them \u2014 are inherent in every action that we take and affect everything that we do. Morality is the cement that binds relationships, keeping spouses together, business deals intact, and political systems stable. Without shared values, marriages break apart, business relationships deteriorate, citizens lose hope, and nations flounder. If right and wrong aren\u2019t explicit, we will become a society in which believing in something greater than yourself will be a rarity.<\/p>\n

Wrongs committed by enough people become the norm.<\/p>\n

Clarify the Difference Between Right and Wrong<\/h3>\n

There are several ways to clarify the difference between right and wrong. People are influenced through their upbringing, the company they keep<\/a>, trial and error, observation, cultural activities, faith, mentors, role models, and social norms.<\/p>\n

Despite that, right and wrong aren\u2019t always black and white.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re regularly faced with choices that fall in the gray area. Other times, it\u2019s clear as day.\u00a0As William Penn, the English writer, said, \u201cRight is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truth is not a popularity contest.<\/p>\n

Some of the many ways to remain on course:<\/p>\n

Your conscience. <\/strong><\/span>Follow your North Star. Care not only about where life is taking you, but about how you\u2019re getting there.\u00a0<\/strong>Listen to your conscience. That\u2019s why you have one.<\/p>\n

Feedback.<\/strong><\/span> Feedback should be welcomed \u2013\u2013 even if it hurts. It enables you to learn\u00a0about your shortcomings and take corrective action.<\/p>\n

Discipline. <\/strong><\/span>If you notice behavior that you don\u2019t want your kids to mimic, send your message of disapproval loud and clear. Don\u2019t let your silence be mistaken for approval.<\/p>\n

Rewards and punishments.<\/strong><\/span> If good behavior isn\u2019t rewarded and poor behavior isn\u2019t frowned upon, it\u2019s easy to forget the proper way to behave. Furthermore, we must apply those ideals in a fair, objective, and consistent manner.<\/p>\n

Consequences.<\/strong><\/span> Some folks believe that we should address big offenses<\/em> but let small infractions<\/em> slide. The problem with that line of reasoning is that we become desensitized to wrongdoings over time.<\/p>\n

Make yourself proud.<\/span> <\/strong>At the end of the day, it doesn\u2019t matter whether you meet the expectations of others; what counts is that you meet your own standards. So set the bar high, live your life with integrity, and make yourself proud. After all, you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n

Virtue isn\u2019t demanding more of others; it\u2019s expecting more of yourself.<\/p>\n

Just as the number 6 can be viewed as 9 based on perspective, the same is true of other things.\u00a0That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to remain open-minded, see things from another point of view, foster debate, and encourage others to challenge your opinions. In addition, obtain information from various sources, seek input from people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, and evaluate that input based on its merits rather than on whether it conforms to your way of thinking.<\/p>\n

Follow Your Moral Compass<\/h3>\n

Our society has standards of acceptable behavior. But the rules of decency are meaningless if they aren\u2019t reinforced daily. When parents overlook bad behavior, when leaders look the other way, when citizens let their conscience hibernate, it\u2019s easy to become desensitized to poor behavior blurring the difference between right and wrong.<\/p>\n

Be a role model who leads by example every day. Be the person who lives with honor and integrity, commands everyone\u2019s respect, and makes decisions based on what\u2019s right rather than what\u2019s convenient. It won\u2019t always be popular. It won\u2019t always be easy, but you can take great pride knowing that you\u2019re setting the standard for excellence. The result is that the next time anyone wants to know the difference between right and wrong, they won\u2019t have to look far. You symbolize it!<\/p>\n

Check out Franks NEW book,\u00a0Leadership by Example: Be a role model who inspires greatness on others<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Do You Know the Difference Between Right and Wrong?<\/h3>\n

Please leave a\u00a0comment<\/a>\u00a0and tell us what you think or\u00a0share it with someone who can benefit from the information<\/b><\/p>\n

Additional Reading:
The Consequences of No Consequences<\/a>
It Can Be Lonely to Stand Up for What\u2019s Right<\/a>
Would You Do Something Unethical If You Could Get Away With It?<\/a>
Moral Character Matters<\/a>
Are You Blurring the Line Between Right and Wrong?<\/a>
Is Morality a Thing of the Past?<\/a>
.<\/p>\n

If you like this article, subscribe to our blog so that you don\u2019t miss a single post. Get future posts by RSS<\/a> feed, email<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>. It\u2019s FREE. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Profit<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some people think you learn the difference between right and wrong in some magical way. Others think schools or houses of worship are where morality […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-relationships"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}