The Story of the Clan: How Do People Morally Judge Corruption (and Hate)?

An ancient philsopher teaching modern people.
Many secular and religious philsophers
discussed corruption throughout history
and its dangers to society. The lessons
are as important today
as they were in the past.

Corruption and hate negatively impact society, shaping everything from economic interactions to social perceptions. The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment that explores what corruption might look like. While the story can feel disheartening, it concludes with a positive ending. Its purpose is to examine the many ways hate and corruption influence society. Each section offers a study, moral tale, or philosophical question to ponder.

The story begins with a clan, a group of socially connected individuals whose misperceptions of others create the image of a “good old boy” network. The clan itself is not the central problem; rather, the corruption some of its members engage in—within a broader culture of acceptance—is what matters. Partisanship, combined with simplistic “all good” or “all bad” views of others, opened the door to hatred and violations of social contracts.

Hateful narratives and rumors spread—often aimed at minorities, concerned citizens, or those disliked by the clan. This, in turn, attracted more extreme members of society, who began targeting victims, whistleblowers, and witnesses. The goal was to enrich members of the network and silence dissent. Most honest officials, however, remained silent out of fear they would face the same treatment of social rejection and ostracization...or worse.

Some people feel horrified when social contracts and basic rights are violated, while others view it as acceptable if they are not directly affected—or if they benefit from it. There may be some who feel it is preferred. In this learning example, extreme polar beliefs created the conditions for such behavior to persist, fueled by oversimplified “us versus them” perceptions that ignore the reality most people live in.

This raises an important question: Why do some feel horrified when corruption and hate are exposed, while others accept them? This study below touches on the different ways people perceive these issues within society. To me, corruption is wasteful, and hate limits the full capacity of any nation. These forces should always be avoided. Still, when discussing the topic, you’ll find a variety of opinions. As long as those opinions are genuine, that diversity of thought is valuable—because it means we are learning.

"No man who is corrupt, no man who condones corruption in others, can possibly do his duty by the community." – Theodore Roosevelt

Any interesting read,

.How Do People Morally Judge Corruption? A Comparison Between the Netherlands and Indonesia

*This is a hypothetical, philosophical, theoretical, thought experiment for learning purposes so that with a grain of salt. We wil write in a positive story of adaptation and community thriving. 

The Value of Connecting with Others in Business Courses

Learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Building a community of learners helps people feel connected and supported, while also providing strategies to enhance learning. Students often collaborate, complementing each other’s skills to produce stronger projects and better outcomes. Getting to know fellow learners offers important benefits academically, professionaly and personally.

Interacting, asking questions, and sharing personal experiences not only strengthen friendships but also expand perspectives. Sometimes these connections last only for the duration of a course, while other times they grow into business partnerships, career opportunities, or lifelong friendships.

Here are a few ways to get to know your fellow learners:

1. Introduce yourself. Share your hobbies, interests, key experiences, goals, and pursuits to create a sense of connection.

2. Ask questions. Show genuine interest when others share their experiences.

3. Reach out for help. Collaboration mirrors real-world management and executive roles, where building teams and exchanging knowledge are key to achieving goals.

4. Practice positive and professional interactions. Organizations thrive on collective effort. Develop verbal and written skills that engage others, motivate participation, and provide direction if needed—while still showing confidence.

5. Follow up. Respond to those who reach out, post, or comment to keep conversations alive.

6. Remember details. Refer back to past conversations when appropriate; people value knowing that you truly listened.

7. Professional Social Media: Consider sharing your profile and connecting on professional level such as LinkedIn.

According to this SHRM Survey people skills help organizations succeed. It would seem that it can help you in your career as well.

People Managers Are the Key to Organizational Success…But They Could Use Some Help, New SHRM Research Finds

Northern Beach Painting 8X10"

You can order through my Etsy shop, The Wooded Pathway, or just send me a message here and I’ll ship it directly to you. A black or white cardboard mat frame is available if you’d like. Price is $40 with shipping included. I do this mainly for fun, and whenever I make a sale, I usually give most of the proceeds away. Its a hobby.

The Northern Beach 8X10'

Garden Boxes and the Benefits of Gardening

Watering bulbs

A few weeks ago, I bought a couple of garden boxes and planted carrots and potatoes in them. I wanted to
experiment with indoor growing, with the idea of eventually building a removable greenhouse over my raised beds. Right now, they attract too many weeds, and keeping up with them is difficult unless I’m there regularly to pull them.

If this plan works, I’ll accomplish a couple of things:

• Grow food with less effort

• Find a way to water the plants even when I’m not around.

• I guess in some ways just enjoy the process.

How gardening can help you live better for longer

Scapegoating of Minorities: The Benefits of Drawing People Together

Scapegoating is the act of blaming others for one’s shortcomings. It can occur on an individual level or be directed at entire groups. Examining scapegoating is important because it affects both relationships and society at large, carrying social and economic consequences. When hate or corruption influences decision-making, the outcomes are generally poor. It is difficult to achieve peak performance if only part of a society’s human capital is engaged.

Society functions best when people share common values and see one another as equals. Sometimes these values are codified in social contracts, artifacts, or oaths. However, when people are dehumanized or when systems protect blatant mistreatment, society might continue to just limp along. Encouraging a shared sense of identity and purpose helps draw in broader social and economic participation.

Consider the piece below. You will notice that some individuals and groups are mistreated, and these injustices reverberate through decisions and institutional outcomes. A society thrives when those who view all people as part of the same human family are elevated—these tend to be the “best and brightest.” Conversely, division weakens institutions and diminishes collective potential.

Scapegoating of ethnic minorities: Experimental evidence

More Than a Uniform Exhibit Opening with a Couple of Works in The Bonifas Fine Art Center

On Friday, I went to the reception for the More Than a Uniform Exhibit at the Bonifast Fine Art Center. The crowd streamed in to view the artwork and learn more about their community. A gentleman I know is selling specialty urns made from Harley parts. He told me he puts many hours into making each one, which I thought was pretty cool.

There was live music, a few snacks, and lots of great conversation. Now, let’s see if I sell anything. The Bonifas Fine Art Center

You can't see it but the ship 
pictures is mine. I heard
there was some interest in this
one.

Dont be cheap. Donate!

The Harley Urn this guy did.

The Hypothetical Feather Party: Would an independent party improve decision making?

If you’ve been following recent discussions, there has been growing exploration of the idea of a stronger independent middle—one that helps balance decision-making between both parties and promotes long-term outcomes. This doesn’t mean either party is entirely right or wrong, but polarization has increasingly shaped decision-making, often reducing debates to counterarguments. In turn, this polarization pressures legislators into straight-line party voting, since breaking from the party line can shorten a political career. That reality directly impacts how decisions are made.

The Hypothetical Feather Party is a philosophical exercise in considering the benefits and drawbacks of independent voters organizing around broad principles that might encourage more thoughtful, personal voting choices for collective outcomes. Historically, independent parties in the U.S. have not fared well and have rarely provided a successful pathway to influence. However, as polarization deepens, there may be greater potential in uniting independent voters into a more collective voice.

According to a 2024 Gallup Poll, 43% of voters now identify as independent—and that share is growing. Gallop Poll Party Affiliation-2024 (There may be new polls out there.)

Let us consider three ideas (There are likely many more and many more positive and negative thoughts on the idea):

1. Reducing Partisan Dynamics

If 15% or more of the electorate—and a portion of elected officials—were truly independent, could this help balance partisan dynamics? Rather than relying heavily on party mandates and sometimes special interest influence, political strategies would need to account for the independent voter’s perspective. This could influence institutional development and decision-making by centering the needs of the “tipping middle.”. 

2. Focus on Domestic Issues

Would a stronger independent presence push greater attention toward domestic issues and promote strategic neutrality of perspective for long-term outcomes? While arguments can be made both ways, one possibility is that independents—based on their more flexible worldview—might be more inclined to prioritize issues closer to home. Maybe-maybe not but seems more likely.

3. Greater Exchange of Ideas

Healthy societies, organizations, and institutions benefit from a free exchange of ideas, a principle often connected to debates over freedom of speech. Yet, we know that public opinion increasingly shapes everything from the right to speak ones mind to reasonable expectations of employment. Independents could play an important role in safeguarding open dialogue, protecting rights/freedoms, encouraging diverse perspectives, and influencing decision-making in constructive ways. 

This is a philosophical discussion on whether a third party like The Hypothetical Feather Party would have a positive or negative impact on society. It is ok to bring forward alternatives, disregard, etc. as long as you took the minute out of your busy daily schedule to think about it. That is the point of the exercise.