What are your values, morals, and ethics?

A breakdown of values, morals, and ethics  within society risks social upheaval which may devastate businesses. In 2021 and 2022 Canada and the U.S. have seen major social upheaval.

The 2022  Edelman Global Trust Barometer¹ has disturbing statistics:

• 52% of people agree capitalism as it exists today does more harm than good.
• 85% of people worry about job loss.
• 57% experience prejudice or racism.
• 66% believe government leaders are purposefully trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggeration.
• 42% trust government leaders.
• 48% believe government is a dividing force in society.

The 2022  Edelman CanadianTrust Barometer show Canada is similar to the rest of the world.

• 48% of people agree capitalism as it exists today does more harm than good.
• 34% of Canadian believe they and their families will be better off in 5 years time,
• 74% of people worry about job loss.
• 42% experience prejudice or racism.
• 58% believe government leaders are purposefully trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggeration.
• 43% trust government leaders.
• 45% believe government is a dividing force in society.

6 surveys done in 2018 by Professors Michael Bang Petersen, Mathias Osmundsen, and Kevin Arceneaux³ revealed:

• 24% of the American public agreed “society should be burned to the ground”
• 40% of the American public agreed “we cannot fix the problems in our social institutions we need to tear them down and start over” and “when it comes to our political and social institutions, I cannot help thinking ‘just let them all burn’”.
• Key findings include: people are so discontent that they do not care about truth; people deliberately share false and hostile rumours on social media with the goal ”to mobilize the audience in pursuit of chaos.”

My personal observation is that if people believe their interests are not being looked after by institutions and society, then the sense of frustration can lead to tearing them down.  I wonder if politicians, CEOs, and boards of directors understand the long-term implications of their actions to destroy the public’s trust in them.

Footnotes

¹ 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer – global report

https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2022-01/2022%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20Global%20Report_Final.pdf

² 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer – Canada

https://www.edelman.ca/trust-barometer/2022-edelman-trust-barometer-trust-canada

 ³ Professors Michael Bang Petersen, Mathias Osmundsen, and Kevin Arceneaux  “A ‘Need for Chaos’ and the Sharing of Hostile Political Rumors in Advanced Democracies”.  In 2019 won the award for best paper in the Political Psychology division of the American Political Science Association.