I hate hypothetical questions of nonsensical nature. My
personal un-favorites are ‘What if you..’ It makes me wonder, what does one
test with it. What does one prove with it?
I have seen people making a ruckus over minor things. Maybe,
I gave a rupee to a beggar. Some other day, I did not. I don’t think I should
make a strict rule whether to give alms or not, or for that matter, tip a
waiter, or tell the Rickshaw-walla to keep the change. It’s my money I guess. But,
I guess I am digressing.
What do I stand for? In a Business school, at least a
conscientious one, words like ‘Core values’ ‘ethical obligations’ ‘social
responsibility’ are thrown around so casually that they never do stick, let
alone sink in. I say conscientious, and not sensitive, because, they see a need
and cater to the demand. I am in no position to blame them. I do not know the
complete picture. But the term: ‘Core values’ often gets me thinking.
Core Values: Values at our core. But what is our core? Is it
our brain? Our heart? Our mind? What? What do we mean by values? How many
of these are self adopted and not enforced upon us? How genuinely truthful are
we to ourselves?
I guess values are like reflexes. Given time to think, one
would come up with the best possible response. But the way you respond on a
spinal level: that are your values. And rightfully so. Take a drunken man for
instance. He has chemically shut off his cerebrum! The way he responds is
dictated by his values.
So, can we really affix morality to our values? Because,
morality is often dissected as a hind thought. It has all the time in the world
to judge and be judged. I guess, the exhibition of our values does not have the
liberty of time!
So I guess, I cannot say truly, what I stand for. It is
situational. But I can say this with a reasonable certainty: My values are
test-worthy! But please, Do not attempt to test them with a ‘What If’ question.
As our Professor once said,
“Hypothetical questions will always get you hypothetical answers!”
