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ETHICS THROUGH THICK AND THIN, AND ETHICS AND RELIGION
Challenges to Globalization (Leaño, 2018)
I.
What is Globalization?
Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments
of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information
technology. This process has effects on the environment, culture, political systems, economic development
and prosperity, and human physical well-being in societies around the world.
Globalization is seen as a conscious and active process of expanding business and trade across the borders
of all the states. It stands for expanding cross-border facilities and economic linkages. This is to be done
with a view to secure integration of economic interests and activities of the people living in all parts of the
world. The objective of making the world a truly interrelated, interdependent, developed global village
governs the on-going process of globalization.
Globalization represents the desire to move from national to a global sphere of economic and political
activity. It seeks to transform the existing international economic system into a unified system of global
economics. In the existing system, national economies are the major players. In the new system, the
globalized economic and political activity will ensure sustainable development for the whole world.
Technology has been the other principal driver of globalization. Advances in information technology, in
particular, have dramatically transformed economic life. Information technologies have given all sorts of
individual economic actors, consumers, investors, businesses - valuable new tools for identifying and
pursuing economic opportunities, including faster and more informed analyses of economic trends around
the world, easy transfers of assets, and collaboration with far-flung partners.
To find the right balance between benefits and costs associated with globalization, citizens of all nations
need to understand how globalization works and the policy choices facing them and their societies.
II. Ethical Issues on Globalization
The expansion of the global economy is an important part of globalization. At one (1) level it is just a fact
whether we like it or not and it has various impacts on development. But at another level, normative issues
are involved. Some of the ethical issues identified are as follows:
1. Reduction of protectionism is unfair unless applied fairly. Protectionism is the economic policy of
restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import
quotas, and a variety of other government regulations.
2. Inequality of power, example with no or few trade unions leads to massive exploitation by
multinationals.
3. The gap between rich and poor in the world is still very large. The bottom 2.5 billion, 40% of the
world's population live on less than $2 a day and receive only 5% of the world's income.
4. Economic globalization marginalizes the poor, destroys the environment and damages cultures.
5. Globalization increases inequality and further impoverishes the poor.
6. Many of the global problems are by-products of the expansion of the global economy such as pollution
or resource shortages; global warming; expansion of global tourism; the spread of AIDS and other
health hazards facilitated by global transport; Internet fraud; and terrorism.
7. Poverty. There are still too many people who die because they are too poor to live. Aid and a fairer
trading system are crucial. As we will see, it can be an enormous help to poor countries. It can start
them on the first steps of the ladder of progress. Tremendous changes are also occurring in the richer
countries.
8. Income gaps have widened both within countries and between countries. A recent UN study by ILO
called for a fair globalization. They show that global trade increases wealth but the trade benefits are
uneven. Like most economic changes there are winners and losers. What is a fair division of the growing
pie? This raises ethical questions.
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9. About 820 million people lack adequate nutrition, more than 850 million are illiterate and almost all
lack access to basic sanitation. In rich countries, less than one (1) child in a hundred dies before the
age of five (5). In the poorest countries, one (1) out of five (5) children dies. Three hundred thousand
(300,000) young children die from preventable causes every day. Life expectancy in rich nations
averages 77 years whereas in sub-Sahara Africa, it is 48 years.
10. The World Trade Organization (WTO) does ignore labor rights and the environment. It is most certainly
not democratic.
11. International trade and technological change create a significant decline in demand for unskilled, semiskilled and traditionally skilled workers.
12. Brain drain - The "brain drain" effect of globalization is another ethical issue; it refers to talented or
educated people in Third World countries who leave their countries of origin for better opportunities in
First World countries. This leaves Third World countries lacking homegrown, educated professionals
such as doctors and engineers.
13. Natural Resources - According to the State of the World 2006 Report, "The world's ecological capacity
is simply insufficient to satisfy the ambitions of China, India, Japan, Europe, and the United States as
well as the aspirations of the rest of the world in a sustainable way." Tropical rainforests around the
world, predominantly in Brazil, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, are being felled for fuel and cattlegrazing pastures. Apart from wildlife concerns, this reduction in rainforests will have a huge effect on
oxygen levels for the entire planet.
III. Solutions to Ethical Problems of Globalization
The world has simultaneously benefited from globalization and failed to manage the inherent complications
resulting from the increased integration of our societies, our economies, and the infrastructure of modem
life. As a result, we have become dangerously exposed to systemic risks that transcend borders. Some of
the solutions to the problems of globalization are:
1. Countries must accept shared responsibility for managing the risks that it has engendered. Rich
countries should assist developing countries for them to propel economic growth and development;
2. Coordinated action is required to address the problems of poverty and malnutrition worldwide. The
nature of the response needs to be tailored to the problems.
3. In the case of pandemics, the key is to support countries where outbreaks occur and help those most
at risk of infection.
4. Widespread dangers, such as climate change or a new financial crisis, can require the cooperation of
dozens of countries and a broad range of institutions. In nearly every case, an international effort is
needed.
5. In confronting dangers such as the Islamic State, Ebola, financial crisis, climate change, or rising
inequality, long-term political expediency is required.
Challenges of Filinnials and Millennials (De Guzman, 2017)
I.
Filinnials and Millennials
The Center for Generational Kinetics mentions five (5) generations that presently make up our society and
specifies birth years for each generation as follows:
• Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born 1996 and later
• Millennials or Gen Y: Born 1977 to 1995
• Generation X: Born 1965 to 1976
• Baby Boomers: Born 1946 to 1964
• Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born 1945 and before
Millennials are generally the children of baby boomers and older Gen Xers.
Filinnials is a term used to denote the Filipino Millennials.
Filinnials' generation is commonly characterized by an increased use and familiarity with communications,
media, and digital technologies. Their trust in Google or Wikipedia, which provide them with plenty of various
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worldviews, is extraordinary. Even in the Philippines, Millennials' upbringing is said to be marked by an
increase in a liberal approach to politics, economics, and morality, although this claim is disputed.
Seven (7) basic traits are ascribed to the Millennials: special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented,
conventional, pressured, and achieving. Their being 'team-oriented,' nonetheless, is questioned, as one (1)
study reveals that they have "a sense of entitlement and narcissism, based on personality surveys showing
increased narcissism among Millennials compared to preceding generations when they were teens and in
their twenties". Some psychologists thus consider Millennials (including Filinnials) to be part of what is called
'Generation Me,' instead of 'Generation We.'
Millennials came of age in a time where the entertainment industry started to be significantly influenced by
the Internet. Being the most ethnically and racially varied compared to the generations older than they are,
Millennials nonetheless are seem to be the most educated.
II. Ethical Outlook and Cultural Identity
In the United Kingdom, a 2013 poll found that Millennials were more open-minded than their parents on
controversial topics. In 2013, a Pew Research Poll found that 84% of Generation Y members favored
legalizing the use of marijuana. In 2014, the same research center issued a report revealing that Millennials
in adulthood are detached from institutions and networked with friends. Some authors describe Millennials'
approach to social change “as pragmatic idealism” with a deep desire to make the world a better place,
combined with an understanding that doing so requires building new institutions while working inside and
outside existing institutions.
Millennials are also labeled as the “Boomerang Generation” or “Peter Pan generation,” because of their
perceived tendency for delaying some rites of passage into adulthood for longer periods than most
generations before them and for living with their parents for longer periods than previous generations.
Generation Y members are very upbeat and more open to change than older generations. Based on a
survey by the Pew Research Center in 2008, Millennials are "the most likely of any generation to self-identify
as liberals and are also more supportive of progressive domestic social agenda than older generations."
Concerning beliefs on ethical issues, most Millennials of every religion, race, and ethnicity support access
to affordable contraception according to a study. And 56% of people ages 18 to 35 say that in some
situations, choosing to have an abortion “is the most responsible decision that a woman can make.”
A sampling of other findings reveals the following:
a. One-quarter of Millennials say that marriage has become old-fashioned and out of date, while 71%
disagree.
b. Millennials fall into a four-way split on "pro-life" and "pro-choice" labels. While 25% say they are
exclusively "pro-life" and 27% say they're "pro-choice," 22% rebuff both labels and nearly 27% say that
both labels describe them equally well.
c. Seven percent (7%) of Millennials identify either as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
III. Work Ethics
It is said that whereas Boomers are hardworking, idealistic, and committed to harmony and Gen Xers are
entrepreneurial, flexible, and self-reliant, and comfortable with technology, on the other hand, Millennials
are tech-savvy, appreciative of diversity, and skilled in multitasking.
Concerning negative traits and workplace attributes, Boomers are said to be self-centered with sense of
entitlement, workaholics, self-motivated, don't appreciate feedback. Millennials, on the other hand, lack
basic literacy fundamentals, have very short attention spans, are not loyal to the organization; demand
immediate feedback and recognition, integrate technology into the workplace, expect to have many
employers and multiple careers, and wears whatever is comfortable at work.
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One (1) study concerning generational analysis reveals relatively high percentages of Millennials who
consider some behaviors in the workplace to be ethical, including:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Using social networking to find out about the company's competitors - 37%
"Friending" a client or customer on a social network - 36%
Uploading personal photos on a company network - 26%
Keeping copies of confidential documents - 22%
Working less to compensate for cuts in benefits or pay - 18%
Buying personal items using a company credit card - 15%
Blogging or tweeting negatively about a company - 14%
Taking a copy of work software home for personal use - 13%
The widespread use of social networking appears to pose challenges, as substantial numbers, of Millennials
post questionable information on their personal social networking sites, including the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Feelings about their jobs - 40%
Bad joke told by the boss - 26%
Work on a project - 26%
Picture of a coworker drinking - 22%
Annoying habit of a coworker - 20%
Information about the company's competitors - 19%
Opinion of a coworker about politics - 16%
Interestingly though, the same study shows that millennial workers were more likely to report unethical
behavior in workplaces. The types of misconduct observed include personal business on company time,
lying to employees, abusive behavior, company resource abuse, discrimination, stealing or theft, falsifying
expense reports, goods/services fail to meet specifications, falsifying time sheets or hours worked, and
offering improper payments/bribes to public officials. Millennials are the group most likely to report by using
the hotline option.
Millennials expect close relationships and frequent feedback from supervisors. They typically associate job
satisfaction with free flow of information, strong connectivity to supervisors, and more immediate feedback.
For business companies having Millennials in their workforce, a strong ethics and compliance program will
have a significant role in developing and maintaining the organization's moral culture. Millennials are chiefly
driven by a strong program to be more proactive in their ethical conduct.
IV. Individualism
Millennials are habitually painted as the entitled, selfie-snapping generation. They are said to be selfcentered and self-absorbed. Some, however, defend them by explaining that Millennials just have more
time to be themselves.
Millennials’ individualism is qualified as the self-focused time in life. It does not necessarily mean that they
are selfish; it rather means that they have fewer social rules and obligations, and more freedom to be selfdirected. They typically have highly individualistic traits, such as being independent and relying on oneself.
They take more time to find themselves in their 20s and want to have that time to themselves before settling
down. According to Pew’s recent report, the stigma around being single has evaporated, leaving more time
for young people to explore and find themselves, and that 25% of Millennials would never marry.
Millennials' individualism nonetheless also reflects in their moral outlook. One (1) study reveals that their
generation views morality as personal and subjective, based on feeling, and nontransferable to others. In
other words, for them, morality is a personal matter.
In describing Millennials' ethics, it is, however, essential to note that new technologies generate new moral
problems, and the Millennials are, to a greater degree than any prior generation, defined by the technology
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in which they are embedded. The ethical questions that face them may be qualitatively different than those
encountered by earlier generations.
V. Conflict with Parents
Millennials are generally the children of Baby Boomers (and older Gen Xers). There is now a common
observation that Millennials are often in conflict with Baby Boomers. For one (1) thing, Millennials are seen
by Baby Boomers as somewhat greedy, self-absorbed, and wasteful.
One (1) of the supposed causes of the alleged conflict is the difference in mentality. The Boomer life principle
goes like this: attain a good education, get a well-paying full-time job, find a stable partner, purchase a
house and a car, and preferably have a child or children. To Baby Boomers, failing any stage of this course
is a reflection of one's dignity and somewhat shows a lack of moral fiber.
As previously explained, Millennials are perceived to have a tendency for delaying some rites of passage
into adulthood and for living with their parents for long periods of time. They are thus blamed for not living
up to Baby Boomers' (especially their respective parents') ideals. Millennials are seen as denying the'
lifestyles of their parents.
There are some generalizations about Baby Boomers and the Millennials that are more grounded in fact.
The Pew Research Center made public opinion surveys and demographic data which reveal some of the
contrasts between the two (2) generations. The following are some of the major differences between Baby
Boomers and Millennials.
a. Millennials are more progressive on social issues. According to Pew Research, Baby Boomers
oppose gay marriage by a thin margin, whereas a solid majority (68%) of Millennials support this form
of marriage. An equal number support the legalization of marijuana.
b. Millennials are hesitant to identify themselves with a political party. In the U.S., half of the
Millennials say they are Independents, compared to 27% confessed to being Democrats and 17% as
Republicans. Some 70% approved of President Obama when he was first elected in the highest office,
but that support has weakened to about 50%.
c. Millennials are less wealthy. The millennial generation is the first in U.S. history to come into adulthood
in worse economic shape than their parents. The unemployment rate for them is higher than it was for
their parents at the same age, and they have higher student debt.
d. Millennials are reluctant to get married. More interestingly, when Millennials get married, they are
more likely to marry someone of a different race. Back in the 1960s, "less than 3% of marriages were
between people of different races or ethnicities. Today, it's 15%. More than a quarter of Asians and
Hispanics marry outside their ethnicity, as do one (1) out of six (6) African Americans and 10% of whites.
Half of the Millennials say intermarriage is a good thing for society, compared with a third of boomers".
e. More Millennials live at home than their parents (Baby Boomers) did at the same age. In the U.S.,
more than a fifth (22%) of households presently have two (2) or more adult generations living under the
same roof, a level not seen since the end of World War II.
The Role of Religion in Ethics (De Guzman, 2017)
Religious ethics concerns beliefs and practices of what is good or bad, right or wrong, virtuous or vicious, from
a religious point of view. Christian ethics, for instance, may be based on the radical teachings of the religious
leader Jesus Christ about loving one's neighbor; being a good Samaritan, loving one's enemies, being guided
by the Father's will, and the like. For some, the religious response is what is really needed concerning the
challenges posed by globalization and other contemporary issues.
I.
Religion and Ethics
Practically, ethics may be defined as a system of moral principles which affect how people make decisions
and lead their lives. Ethics is concerned with what is good and right for persons and society.
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On the other hand, religion is defined as "people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature,
and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life." Referring to the
sacred engagement with that which is believed to be a spiritual reality, religion denotes the belief in, or the
worship of, a god (or gods) and the worship or, service to God or the supernatural. The term 'supernatural'
means "whatever transcends the powers of nature or human agency". The term 'religion' is sometimes used
interchangeably with 'faith,' 'creed,' 'belief system,' or 'conviction.'
Religion is also viewed as "an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews that relate
humanity to an order of existence." Many religions possess holy scriptures, narratives, or sacred accounts
that aim to explain the origin and meaning of life and the universe. From the religions' beliefs about the
cosmos and human nature, adherents usually draw religious laws, an ideal way of living, and detailed rules
of ethical or moral conduct.
Some submit that the difference between religion and ethics is about the disparity between revelation and
reason. In some measure, religion is based on the idea that God (or some deity) reveals insights about life
and its meaning. These divine insights are compiled in texts (the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, etc.) and
introduced as 'revelation.'
From a strictly humanistic perspective, ethics, on the other hand, is based on the tenets of reason. That is,
anything that is not rationally provable cannot be deemed justifiable. This definition of ethics, however, does
not necessarily exclude religion or a belief in God, for it is also a common belief that human reason, also
designed for ethical discernment, is a gift from a supernatural God. Indeed, many ethicists emphasize the
relationship, not the difference, between ethics and religion.
II. Religion’s Role in Ethics
Many ethicists believe that religion is necessary for the continued survival of morality as an integral part of
human life, especially in a globalized world. University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Philosophy professor
Glenn C. Graber calls this apologetic claim the 'cut-flowers thesis' which consists of a hypothetical judgment
that, "Morality cannot survive, in the long run, if its ties to religion are cut." This proposition is a prediction
of what would happen to morality if it were severed from religion. In 1894, Russian writer Leo Tolstoy (18281910) made the following early statement of this thesis:
"The attempts to found a morality apart from religion are like the attempts of children who, wishing to
transplant a flower that pleases them, pluck it from the roots that seem to them unpleasing and superfluous,
and stick it rootless into the ground. Without religion there can be no real, sincere morality, just as without
roots there can be no real flower."
The cut-flower thesis thus implies that those who believe that morality is a valuable human institution, and
those who wish to avoid moral disaster, should, therefore, make every effort to preserve its connection with
the true religion and the sound religious belief that forms its roots. As morality is currently in a withering
stage in this globalized era, its decline can be identified with the exorbitant secularization of many things.
Support for this claim can be found both among those sympathetic to religion and surprisingly enough,
among those with little or no sympathy for religion.
Basil Willey, a religionist, calls for urgent action to reunite religion and ethics. He holds that there has been
a progressive de-Christianization during the last three (3) or four (4) centuries, the outcome of which "is
what we see around us in the world today the moral and spiritual nihilism of the modern world, particularly
of the totalitarian creeds".
REFERENCES:
Bulaong, O., Calano. M., & Lagliva, A. (2018). Ethics: Foundations of moral valuation. Sampaloc Manila: Rex Book Store,
Inc.
Cariño, J. (2018). Fundamentals of ethics. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
De Guzman, J. (2017). Ethics: Principles of ethical behavior in modern society. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing Houze, Inc.
Leaño, R. & Gubia A. (2018). Ethics for college students: CHED curriculum compliant. Intramuros, Manila: Mindshapers
Co., Inc.
Ocampo, M. (2018). Ethics primer: A young person’s guide to moral reasoning. Quezon City: Abiva Publishing House, Inc.
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