Relevance: The topic is a part of UPSC CSE General Studies Paper-IV Ethics syllabus. Concepts are particularly relevant in the theory section. Aspirants will also find the article useful for their Essay paper and situation-based questions in personality tests. Moreover, the essence of the article will help aspirants in their professional lives or in life in general. Nanditesh Nilay writes for UPSC Ethics Simplified fortnightly on Sundays. The first article will be a concept while the second article will be a caselet based on the concept. Don’t miss the Point to Ponder below. Being Good Are all efforts worth becoming a good human being, or a good civil servant? You would be certain in your answer for the second part but not sure of the first one. Particularly when war, violence, bombs, and missiles are guiding the world, where does goodness stand? After going through so many chapters of Ethics, how convinced are you about the values of goodness? Ethics or Values guide us towards goodness. Today we are living in an age of war. Everyone has their own definition of goodness and more or less such kind of goodness is a limited and reduced version of human being. It means someone doesn't see goodness in the prosperity of all but only in controlling others for the sake of superiority or immediate benefit. Now the day you reach Mussoorie for your training, do you think you will be carrying the spirited definition of goodness, or like the boiling world you will also be caged under the walls of caste, class, and community? I am certain about our understanding of goodness, i.e. the good of an individual is contained in the goodness of all. As Vivekananda said, "Do good, be good." Even you will agree that civil services have an immense power to brighten other people's lives simply by the state or quality of being good. The main purpose of this deliberation is to make you aware of your understanding and to motivate you that the welfare of the individual is inextricably connected with the welfare of all, i.e. the common good. Further, my purpose in writing this piece is intended to know how this principle can be effectively implemented by all of us in real life in the context of public service. Do you agree that we are not separate identities but at one point there is a strong interconnectedness and co-existence at all levels in this Universe? As Steve Jobs had emphasised on connecting the dots. Hence, it is right that the good of an individual is intimately related to the good of others. Gradually, the right act of an individual will only lead to sustainable happiness. However, it is mutually fulfilling and results in a win-win situation with the other person. And this is how the good of an individual will conform and not conflict with the good of others. It is this principle which leads to ethical actions. You can connect easily by going through the philosophy of the great Buddha, Swami Vivekananda or Mahatma Gandhi. And of those mortals who helped each other to survive in the Covid time. The world was saved by those human values of goodness which was recognising the importance of others' survival as well. Now when you see the post pandemic world you will observe that one’s self-interest tends to take priority and at times seems to conflict with the good of others. Most of the man made crisis have been the result of the same kind of laminated goodness. Thus, a person or any bureaucrat who has not realised the above mentioned truth, usually succumbs to one’s narrow selfish interests and takes unethical steps harming the interest of others and in the longer run, even harming one’s interest as well. Yes, we can only grow if others are also growing. And the moment we are surrounded by self biased goodness around the variables of caste, class, or community, our sensory motivations and judgments based on short term impressions will usually force us to take a narrow view of life. The more you delve around, you will notice that pursuing one’s selfish interests and ignoring the good of others leads to exploitation, aggression, unhealthy competition in society, and finally leading to all sorts of corrupt practices, crime and violence. We all are witnessing the global crisis. And such a situation has never been conducive to anybody’s happiness in the long run. Point to Ponder: What its means to be good? Does the definition of goodness change with time? Share your views, answers and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com (Nanditesh Nilay is the author of ‘Being Good', Aaiye, Insaan Banaen’ and ‘Ethikos: Stories Searching Happiness’. He teaches courses on and offers training in ethics, values and behaviour. He has been the expert/consultant to UPSC, SAARC countries, Civil services Academy, National Centre for Good Governance, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Competition Commission of India (CCI), etc. He has PhD in two disciplines and has been a Doctoral Fellow in Gandhian Studies from ICSSR. His second PhD is from IIT Delhi on Ethical Decision Making among Indian Bureaucrats. He writes for the UPSC Ethics Simplified (Concepts and Caselets) fortnightly.) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.
