A metal fabricator pushed for higher profit margins. It sold alloys to NASA for a space vehicle and orbiter. They cheated. The vehicle failed in space. Not quite a billion dollars was lost. Meanwhile the supplier made its profit.
A worker cheats his employer of time he says he worked but didn’t. He takes home supplies for his kids to use in school. He pads his expense account and gains extra income. Not large thefts, but accumulative. How much does he – one employee – cheat his employer? $1000 dollars a year, more? How many others are like him and do the same?
How many billions of dollars are siphoned off by employers like this? Might it be as large as a trillion? No one knows. Not for certain.
A researcher in a science lab smells success just around the corner. He fakes test results and exaggerates the findings. The employer invests a billion dollars into a new product – manufacturing, distribution, sales, staffing, etc. – and the product meets most of the objectives but fails in others. Can the damage be undone? Will the reputation of the company survive the product failures? Will Boeing survive its disastrous introduction of its latest passenger plane? How many lives were lost due to taking a shortcut in testing and research?
A high official in the federal government lies about his job, his resources, his motivation and many other things. How far does he or she go to cover up his trail? Does he make errors that are covered up as well? Who is aware of these misdeeds? Does anyone encourage his correction? Does an oversight committee or function exist that will uncover the problems and cause repairs to take place? What other decisions are made on these faulty actions? Are others engaged in this hub of dishonesty? If so, why, for what reason?
A writer fudges her report. Assumes facts not in evidence. Draws conclusions from this faulty line of facts. Reasoning is impaired. Conclusions are not supportable. Yet others trust the report and take actions accordingly. How many failed outcomes come from this fudged report?
How many among us take shortcuts, speak capriciously but in error, or intend a faulty report to stand? How many rely on our efforts and work products? Will anyone suffer harm – physically, financially, spiritually – from their reliance on our faulty representations? The possibilities are incalculable.
We are faulty human beings. We are not perfect. Errors will be made. Intentional errors, however, and ones made knowingly without correction, are forms of larceny grand and small. They injure the body politic, the common good of our people, the health, wealth and happiness of our society.
It is a pitiful thing to aid and abet failure. Especially pitiful when doing the right thing is so much more fun and rewarding!
Just think of it. What can each of us do about it?
May 3, 2019
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