INTEGRITY

“Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will.”

This quotation was recorded by John D. MacDonald the prolific American fiction author who died in 1986 leaving behind an enviable body of work and a reputation among his peers as being a grand master. He is still held in highest regard for his literary works and the standards he set. 

The statement very clearly defines the true meaning of Integrity.  But Integrity goes hand-in-hand with Character and Honesty, and together they make up the inner sense of "wholeness" consistent with moral soundness in thought and action. To be genuine and consistent, integrity must possess a continuous and unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting or missing. It is an all-or-none possession and cannot be used as a tool of convenience. –This action would be called Manipulation.

 All my life, I grew up hearing my father repeating the same advice to everyone of his children:

“Let your word always be your bond and

Always live your life with integrity and honesty”

In everyday life, integrity can be seen in every aspect of living. It is that inner drive that compels you to do the right thing at all cost. It forces you do the petty or unpopular things, even when no one was looking and no one cared, because it is just the right thing to do. It is also the feeling of satisfaction you experience after completing the right task, even though this may have been to your disadvantage. It is also knowing that even though doing the right thing may be tough and demanding, in the end only good feelings, not guilt or regret, results from it. It is also having to stand against your friends and your associates when their actions go against what you know is right and appropriate. It can often make you very unpopular and sometimes leads to isolation and criticism, but this is a price you must be prepared to pay.

But integrity, to be used effectively, must be tempered with good sense and fairness. At all times, it must be free of the blind and indiscriminate attitude of the fanatic, whose actions are not based on reason or good sense, but rather on irrational enthusiasm or uncritical zeal. Where the fanatic’s actions are invariably selfish and contrary to the well being of the general society, the exact opposite is seen in an environment where integrity is dominant. If more people in this world were to practice genuine integrity, this world would most certainly be a better and safer place.

 Unfortunately today’s society as a whole, has sacrificed its principles of integrity on the altar of convenience and individual self-gratification. As a result we are faced with a world consumed with hate and rage and anger and distrust, where the only solution seems to be in mutual suspicion and destruction. Where even among the leaders of the nations, integrity is as rare as a snow storm in July, and where lying and cheating and deceit is the norm.

         Despite this, there is no shortage of people of integrity in the world. Each one of us can readily identify people whose behavior has engendered profound respect and admiration. They come from all sections of the society irrespective of age, sex, race or levels of education. Some of the greatest leaders in the world were driven by loyalty to their beliefs and their work. People like Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, St. Teresa of Kolkota, Mohamed Ali, Helen Keller are but a few of the vast numbers of people who have earned the right to be identified as people of integrity.

 But living a life of integrity is not limited to these fine people. Any one of us can readily live by these standards if we commit ourselves to do so. It must first begin with each one of us and with our relationship with the people around us, our family, our friends, our neighbors and others close to us. We must commit to live in truth in the way we think, we act and live and to everyone in our life. It means establishing standards and refusing to compromise even if it affects us negatively. It means that you avoid any situation where the behavior of others creates conflict, or agree to act in any way that is not true and correct. It means not tolerating any behavior that is not consistent with the highest levels and being willing to move away rather than continue and compromise.

         A life without integrity inevitably results in a life of never-ending turmoil. Actions are inconsistent and behavior unpredictable. Where you are behaving and saying one thing on the outside while feeling and believing something quite different on the inside. This is a formula for emotional volatility and distress. Yet many people knowingly chose to continue to live under this cloud of negativity so that they could conform with and please the majority. This indeed is the real curse of our modern civilization and one that unfortunately is increasing at an alarming rate.

In the final analysis, Alan K. Simpson, an American politician from Wyoming was very correct when he adapted a very popular saying while discussing the subject of integrity:

“If you have Integrity, nothing else matters.

If you don't have Integrity, nothing else matters”.

--Indeed it is a great pity that so many of us choose to continue to live their lives flouting the fundamental principles of Integrity for no other reason than to conform to the demands of the prevailing society.

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