Just Doing My Job - A Responce to Ecotrain's QOTW

@eco-alex posed this question of the week -
"Is the notion I''m just doing my job' ethical?"

When I think about this what comes to mind is a talk by Jordan B. Peterson, a well known psychologist and professor plus a speaker and author of the book - "12 Rules for Life". He is a courageous man who had been investigating some of the atrocities that have happened through out history, like during the Holocaust, and being brutally honest with himself, looked inside and saw that, yes, if he were in those times and circumstances, he could be that person running the camp, "doing his job', trying to save his skin. He pointed out that there is that monster inside and until we can acknowledge and confront that darker side of our being we do not stand a chance of changing and overcoming those impulses.

Now you may be thinking that you could never do anything like that so lets look at something less drastic. Would you take a higher paying job that you know is damaging the environment or causing harm in some way? Or what about when you are investing, do you go for the "green" investments that you know are doing more good or choose those with a higher return that might not have such a good record. How easy is it to take that little extra without concern of the effects on others.

Image source - Pixabay

Now back to the attitude of "just doing my job". Is your job right livelihood? Are you making your livelihood in a wholesome way? Or are you just being blind to what effects your actions are actually causing. Maybe the powers above have dictated what you are suppose to be doing, but what are you really willing to do just to keep your job. At what point do you start losing your sense of humanity. When do you stop caring about others and are only concerned about yourself?

There is always consequences for your actions. You may not realize them immediately but if you continue on just doing your job and ignoring the effects of your actions, that is still forming your being, the type of person you are becoming. Is it really what you want to become? Do you want to lose some of your sense of humanity and have a hollowness about you? There is also that saying of "what goes around, comes around" is that the type of world you want to live in? I want to make this point that it may be better to take a good look at your actions and question "Do I really want to just do my job" or will I let my humanity shine through and take in the circumstances and the effects on others before I take action. The world could be a better place for it.