1

Personal integrity or Social Snitch

Harmanpreet Kaur

2312881

11 December 2023
 2

Personal integrity or Social Snitch

Personal integrity versus social group loyalty is one of the ethical challenges in complex

human interactions. Sociology explains how people develop a protective attitude towards

members belonging to their social group. These groups often have a high level of loyalty among

their members, and many times, that is stronger than individual conscience and personal

integrity. It creates an ethical dilemma pitting personal integrity against social group and

togetherness. Even in situations of moral wrong and unethical behavior, there is a sense of

loyalty that overrides personal integrity. In such cases, the individuals are deemed immoral for

standing for people who belong to their social group. In addition, in some instances, it is

considered that personal integrity should precede group loyalty. Personal integrity and ethical

behavior should be considered over group loyalty.

Personal integrity is important over group loyalty because it shapes one’s personal and

professional life. In particular, professionalism is guided by ethical principles such as honesty,

kindness, and justice among others. Standing against morally wrong deeds committed by the

group is crucial to developing an ethically right society. According to Dobra (2022), that

integrity and moral obligation precede loyalties to a given social, gender, or professional

grouping. people should not be complacent when they witness evil deeds, even if the wrongdoer

is a relative. This view emphasizes that affiliations should not define morality. Any form of

exposure to group loyalty should affirm adherence to universal ethics. The world is guided by

proper ethical standards and not group loyalty. It is necessary to prevent possible harm and

maintain the ethos of the social or professional entity. Professionalism demands upholding

ethical standards at all times.

 3

The wider purpose of the society is to treat others with kindness and act according to

moral standards. Group loyalty does not define social behavior because there are universal

ethical standards that should be respected. Instead of allowing unethical behavior to spread

within the society, it is essential to expose the misconduct in the group, thus contributing

positively to society's well-being. An individual should stand up for the moral good even when

he/she will be labeled a social snitch. Ethical behavior is for the overall good of the society.

According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, behaving ethically is the right action

(2016). The society should be defined by moral standards rather than social loyalty.

There are dire consequences and sanctions towards unethical behavior. Therefore, it is

unnecessary to risk facing punishment because of group loyalty. For example, in a case where a

member of the group embezzles funds from an organization and the group out of loyalty helps in

covering up the crime. All members of the social group risk getting jailed for being part of the

crime. Social loyalty comes with consequences for unethical behavior. However, to avoid facing

the consequences, there is an innate worth of private honesty and ethical accountability. It means

that a person's commitment to ethics never changes, no matter how close one's relationship or

interaction with someone has been. Exposing wrongdoing is fulfilling a moral obligation to

respect universal moral values and a more general social obligation in support of humanity

(Tursunova & Qizi, 2023). Nevertheless, some argue that standing for your moral ground over

group loyalty is considered being a social snitch.

Standing up for group loyalty hinges on maintaining social harmony and personal bonds.

They argue that in societies or professions, there is need to hold together by all means; hence,

exposing their closest friends would destroy this bond (Helgesson, & Bülow, 2023). They deem

that the members in their groups have forged strong bonds, which result in cohesiveness and a
 4

sense of belonging; hence, exposing them may lead to disintegration and broken trust.

Furthermore, a study by Harvard Business Review revealed that loyalty to a social group

promoted the desire to act ethically (2016). Loyalty to a group can be a force for goodness and

morality.

Further, the arguments against exposure are facilitated by contextual understanding as

well. Critics argue that morality largely depends upon cultural background and environment.

Something seen as morally wrong in a different culture could be considered acceptable. A

relativistic standpoint emphasizes the importance of considering varying ethical systems and

applying one's ethics with due care after assessing their broad social implications. In addition,

Critics point out the strain on emotions of revealing a friend's, colleague, or family member's

misconduct. An example is sexual misconduct. People avoid whistleblowing for their emotional

health because they fear being outcasted by society, having their relationships wrecked, or facing

adverse consequences at work.

The potential courses of action is finding the right path among the difficult morals

entangled in revealing one's friends is more challenging than it sounds since it implies weighing

the pros and cons of various options to balance self-integrity and friendship preservation. An

alternative way is to challenge directly, in which an individual now talks to the offender, giving

them a chance for reconciliation before a case is exposed publicly (Helgesson, & Bülow, 2023).

An alternative approach would be to try mediating for conflict settlement within the group or the

organization in question, possibly with an impersonal atmosphere where relationships may be

saved through compromise. Anonymous reporting is also possible through established channels,

which serve as a middle ground between confidential reporting and full disclosure.
 5

Lastly, introspection, along with the search for clarified morality, must be undertaken

before taking any step at all. Through reflection, an individual can determine his character, sense

of value, and how severe the offense is, thus creating principles to make a decision. Every option

has pros and cons; hence, the best decision relies upon the particular circumstances, the degree of

misbehavior, and one's ability to maintain self-integrity when going through complex relations.

Taking a clearly defined stand is imperative when dealing with ethical issues related to

exposing one's close associates. Therefore, this study supports the notion of self-integrity, high

moral responsibilities, and focus on the common good and social welfare. It highlights the

importance of considering the gravity of misconduct, looking for other alternatives, and having

good ethical sense (Helgesson, & Bülow,2023). Firstly, it states that an individual should

maintain ethics while revealing the wrong-doings of the people they are closely associated with.

This promotes accountability and honesty among our people in personal and work-based

relationships.

For these individuals facing such a predicament, personal honor and ethical values should

supersede their concerns for friends while considering what is best for society and their selves.

However, such exposure should only be embarked upon after considering the gravity of the

transgression, examining other measures for a solution, and having an ultimate intention to solve

it without hurting the relations.

I would choose personal integrity over group loyalty. I consider self-respect and moral

standards an obligatory duty, considering that ethical principles cannot be violated even in

individual and business relations. This commitment conforms with a broader sense of social

responsibility that requires one to return to society some positive outcomes and promote social

wellbeing (Dobra, 2022). I acknowledge that exposing wrong-making acts protects others from
 6

possible harm and assist in preserving societal standards. It also tries to balance social harmony

with individual responsibility, stating that no one can hide behind relations for wrongdoings.

In conclusion, personal integrity should come over group loyalty. While arguments

against exposing close associates highlight the importance of social cohesion and contextual

understanding, it is important to emphasize individual moral duty, obligation, and social

responsibility. By prioritizing personal integrity, individuals can contribute to creating ethical

communities that uphold principles of justice, transparency, and accountability.

 7

References

Dobra, D. M. (2022). Ethics of integrity warnings-between social conditioning and moral

stakes. Annals of Philosophy, Social & Human Disciplines, 1.

Gino, F (2016, January 06). If You’re Loyal to a Group, Does It Compromise Your Ethics?.

Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/01/if-youre-loyal-to-a-group-does-it-

compromise-your-ethics

Helgesson, G., & Bülow, W. (2023). Research integrity and hidden value conflicts. Journal of

Academic Ethics, 21(1), 113-123.

Tursunova, M., & Qizi, S. G. N. (2023). NAVIGATING ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN

BUSINESS DISCOURSE: AN EXPLORATION OF DISCOURSE ETHICS. Science

and innovation, 2(Special Issue 5), 687-690.