Baseness
Akappatti Aavaaraik Kaanin Avarin / Mikappattuch Chemmaakkum Keezh
Classical English couplet — “When base men those behold of conduct vile,They straight surpass them, and exulting smile”
What it says in plain words
“People who behave badly may feel proud when others behave worse. They mistake this comparison for proof that they are good.”
The classical Tamil reading
கீழ் மக்கள் தமக்கு கீழ் பட்டவராய் நடப்பவரைக் கண்டால், அவரை விடத் தாம் மேம்பாடு உடையவராய் இறுமாப்படைவர்.
An expanded Tamil interpretation
பண்பாடு இல்லாத கயவர்கள், தம்மைக் காட்டிலும் இழிவான குணமுடையோரைக் கண்டால், அவர்களைவிடத் தாம் சிறந்தவர்கள் என்ற கர்வம் கொள்வார்கள்
The ethical and philosophical heart
Someone else's worse behavior can make our own faults seem small. We may then feel no need to change our actions. But being less harmful is not goodness. We need to look honestly at how we treat people.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- You excuse your rude comment because a friend said something crueler.
- Workplace
- You feel honest hiding one mistake because a coworker hides many.
- Family
- You dismiss your shouting because another parent shouts more often.
- Society
- You feel responsible dropping one wrapper because others dump whole bags.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Judge your choice by its effects, not by someone else's worse choice.
- Integrity
- Admit your own mistakes even when others make bigger ones.
- Communication
- Avoid defending hurtful words by pointing to someone else's harsher words.
- Leadership
- Help your team improve instead of celebrating another team's worse behavior.
- Governance
- Address failures in public services rather than pointing to worse services elsewhere.
For leaders and teams
Teach those you lead to take responsibility for their own actions. Someone else's worse behavior does not excuse harm within your group.
Something to sit with
“Where might comparing yourself with someone worse be keeping you from making a useful change today?”