Dr Asangba Tzudir
Amassing wealth and assets beyond one’s capacity, cases of bribery etc have made headlines in the recent past. Skeletons are tumbling out of the cupboard. The idea though is not to highlight and provoke such cases, rather stress on the value of integrity in a world that is losing its moral credibility. Today, as our society continue to be increasingly defined by quick success and overnight riches, designations and public imagery, and shifting moral boundaries, integrity stands as a timeless, unmoved, unswayed, and unyielding virtue.
Integrity is a quality that transcends professions, age groups, and cultural contexts. Irrespective of whether it is politics, education, business, or personal relationships, integrity is the backbone of trust, and also the foundation upon which real progress and development is built. However, it is also one of the most neglected virtues in today’s fast-changing world.
The thing about integrity in simple terms is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It is in aligning one’s actions with one’s values and principles. Immanuel Kant’s philosophy of ‘Duty for Duty sake’ also informs about integrity, the application of which can generally result in one garnering the courage to speak the truth, to admit mistakes, and to uphold moral commitments regardless of the consequences.
In public life, integrity places itself as the demarcating threshold between good leadership and manipulation. We talk about the need for good leaders, and the utmost quality in the making of a good leader is integrity. A leader with integrity can inspires confidence while also earning other’s respect and can build trust and consensus. If someone is only thinking about one’s gain, the power and authority vested on a leader becomes authoritarianism, while governance turns to deception. We talk about the roots of corruption as we see the consequences when integrity is compromised leading to abuse of power, and lack of transparency and accountability.
In education and academia, integrity is the foundation of true learning. Using unfair means during exams, plagiarizing assignments, or manipulating through the application of AI may offer short-term gains, but they undermine the very purpose of education. A student with integrity not only gains knowledge and wisdom but also learns self-discipline, responsibility, and self-respect. Similarly, educators with integrity will definitely deliver their duty with professionalism while also create learning environments that foster growth beyond the text as well as the four walls.
The lack of transparency and accountability is a result of lack of integrity. Today, integrity calls upon individual selves to transcend beyond boundaries like the lens of riches, social standing, designation, overnight riches and disproportionate wealth. And it requires moral courage to transcend these shallow boundaries.
As we navigate a world filled with ethical grey zones, we must hold fast to integrity, not just as a personal value but aimed at building a collective ideal. This requires a collective responsibility right from imbibing the understanding in children that character matters more than convenience, and to say ‘no’ when pushed into compromising their values. In the end, integrity may not always take one to fame or riches. Beyond the fame and riches are some things far greater - a clear conscience, a meaningful life, and the trust of those around us.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
