By Luiz Gonzaga Bertelli, President of CIEE / SP
The result of a recent survey is worrying: for 90% of young people aged 14 to 24, Brazilian society is little or not ethical. In this universe, not only politicians enter, which would be a predictable effect in view of the flood of denunciations and lawsuits against them. The family members themselves belong to the category of little or not at all in the opinion of 57% of the interviewees, as is the case with friends, for 74%. And how do they see themselves? If 63% say they seek to behave correctly on a daily basis and only 8% believe it is possible if ethical all the time.
Leaving the conceptual field and falling into a more objective questioning, the firmness is reduced. While more than 50% agree that, in a purchase, it is important to check if the company pays taxes and respects the environment, 52% admit to buying pirated products because they are cheaper and, worse, trust that, with this, they do not harm anyone, forgetting that part of the taxes cost public services.
Among the regrettable aspects of the research, carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition (Etc.) and Datafolha, three negative perceptions stand out: 56% think that, no matter the effort, society will always be unethical; it is impossible to be ethical all the time (55%); and to make money, it is not always possible to be ethical.
The study, however, points to a way to change this view on ethics, whose appreciation will be one of the factors that will prevent the repetition of the sad parade of businessmen, executives, government officials, politicians, employees of all ranks dragged to the courts, under the accusation. appropriation of public money. It turns out that, with regard to professionals with a better image among young people, the list is headed by firefighters (note 8,7), followed by teachers (8,5). This perception launches on teachers the mission of shaping, with practice and theory, the hearts and minds of new generations. In fact, this task is not exclusive to them, but to all Brazilians responsible and willing to build a fairer and more prosperous country.
Article published in the newspaper Diário de São Paulo, on 13/07/2017
