The Right thing vs the Smart thing

[Majestic-milf]

 In the society we find ourselves today, many individuals have begun to lose sight of what is right and ethical from what is smart.
 A child growing up in today's world does not see the need to study hard for an examination because he/she believes there is a "smart" way of making it, and hence does not appreciate the knowledge that will be gotten from reading.
There is no control, so to speak, over the way corruption has chosen to eat deep into the minds of many as it seems to be the easier and smarter way of getting things done.
 Sadly, most people have been blindsided, and the only available way to survive is by being smart.
I'm not against being smart, don't get me wrong. Because after all, it is a way of showing mental alertness and calculation; but then, when applied at the risk of damning your conscience, it becomes a problem.
 How then do we make this right? We start from our families, then it spreads to the society.

[BADecker]

In he case of the Biden presidency, the right thing IS the smart thing. Recall or impeach Biden out of office. Put Trump back into office. And get us our successful US back again.

[jrrsparkles]

Its your choice whether you want to be good or bad but for both being smart is indeed, we should stop thinking that studying will make someone right and illiterate as wrong. The life of everyone decides which way they are going to be and also the society pushes them towards it.

[Cnut237]

In the society we find ourselves today, many individuals have begun to lose sight of what is right and ethical from what is smart.
 A child growing up in today's world does not see the need to study hard for an examination because he/she believes there is a "smart" way of making it, and hence does not appreciate the knowledge that will be gotten from reading.
There is no control, so to speak, over the way corruption has chosen to eat deep into the minds of many as it seems to be the easier and smarter way of getting things done.
 Sadly, most people have been blindsided, and the only available way to survive is by being smart.
I'm not against being smart, don't get me wrong. Because after all, it is a way of showing mental alertness and calculation; but then, when applied at the risk of damning your conscience, it becomes a problem.
 How then do we make this right? We start from our families, then it spreads to the society.

The problem really is that society is set up so that acquisition of money is seen as the main measure of success, and this is exacerbated by the fact that money is of course quantifiable, so it's easy to measure your "success" against someone else's. It needs quite a paradigm shift for people to see being ethical as more desirable than being wealthy. I'm not sure how this can be achieved really, although the looming climate crisis might help to engender change.

[Proro]

Doing what is right today has become a very difficult thing to do because people around will tell you that there's always a smart way of doing things. Being smart is not bad actually but the right way of doing this is actually better.

In our society today all we think about is how to make money and make more money, this has made many to loss focus of being moral (the right way of doing things) instead they look for short cut and play smart which have really cause the destabilization on many society.

Playing smart most time is not bad. But doing the right thing will develop a better society

[Queentoshi]

Doing what is right today has become a very difficult thing to do because people around will tell you that there's always a smart way of doing things. Being smart is not bad actually but the right way of doing this is actually better.

You are painting a bad picture for the word "smart", and it is as a result of a misconception generated from the ambiguity in OP's topic. A more appropriate topic would have been - The Right thing Vs The Easy thing, because the person doing the right thing is smart, making a good long term choice. The easy thing on the other hand seems a smart choice, but in a long run becomes a bad choice.

[Sacrod]

Doing the right thing is just doing what is known as being right, but being smart has to do with doing things rightly. Being smart doesn't have to been tagged as being dubious, one who does things smartly has an edge over others because they do not just know the right thing, but consider the best alternative that suits the challenge at hand before making decisions. Sometimes you can do the right thing but it may lead to complications but then someone else might have that same knowledge and do it smartly without compromising standards so as to avoid problems. With your personal morals intact, you wouldn't consider a short cut or fraudulent acts as being smart.

[BADecker]

Doing the right thing is just doing what is known as being right, but being smart has to do with doing things rightly. Being smart doesn't have to been tagged as being dubious, one who does things smartly has an edge over others because they do not just know the right thing, but consider the best alternative that suits the challenge at hand before making decisions. Sometimes you can do the right thing but it may lead to complications but then someone else might have that same knowledge and do it smartly without compromising standards so as to avoid problems. With your personal morals intact, you wouldn't consider a short cut or fraudulent acts as being smart.

You said a mouthful, there. Americans and Western Europeans have bee brought up with the traditions of the Bible. So, they know what the right things are. But often they are stupid enough to not apply them.

[Masplanc]

In the society we find ourselves today, many individuals have begun to lose sight of what is right and ethical from what is smart.
 A child growing up in today's world does not see the need to study hard for an examination because he/she believes there is a "smart" way of making it, and hence does not appreciate the knowledge that will be gotten from reading.

Why many student think they can pass examination by smart way is when we have a failed government that does not have value for education, student won't have value for it too.

There is no control, so to speak, over the way corruption has chosen to eat deep into the minds of many as it seems to be the easier and smarter way of getting things done.
 Sadly, most people have been blindsided, and the only available way to survive is by being smart.
I'm not against being smart, don't get me wrong. Because after all, it is a way of showing mental alertness and calculation; but then, when applied at the risk of damning your conscience, it becomes a problem.
 How then do we make this right? We start from our families, then it spreads to the society.

The society has turned to be like doing the right seems to be a waste of time for people,

[franky1]

when punishments have become more relaxed. people lose fear of punishments.

EG if rapes are not a 100year sentance. and instead became a 6 month ankle monitor. rapists dont fear raping.

EG if murder is not a 100 year sentance. and instead a 6 year holiday camp style prison sentance. some murders become worthy of spending 6 years locked up being sheltered and fed for free

..
education has become 'just learning to pass a test' and not educating real life skills useful in adulthood

take maths. these days people dont need to learn it because calculators and excel exist.
no one needs to learn their multiplication table off by heart because they can just use a calculator. or other tricks

however people should use this time they are wasting on unrequired tasks. to learn real life stuff. like how to budget income to never need to get into debt.(something not taught in school)

its like how in elementary/primary school i remember the class spending hours learning the 9 times table off by heart, by trying to sing it... (facepalm)
'one times nine is 9... two times nine is 18..three times nine is 27'
never in my younger school years was i taught skills like holding fingers up
||||/    \||||
where by you put the finger down of the number of 9's you want
EG 4x9=4th finger
|||_/    \||||
leaving 3 and 6.. oh look 36

EG 8x9=8th finger
||||/    \|_||
leaving 7 and 2.. oh look 72

a kid can learn this in 5 minutes instead of the song in 1 hour

education is wasted by not teaching kids. and instead just repeating lesson plans from pre-technology curriculum

[yhiaali3]

This is absolutely true, for example, mental arithmetic. In the recent past, people were very good at calculating numbers mentally. Today, especially children, they do not find the need to bother themselves to multiply two numbers because they simply can do it using a calculator or even a mobile phone. Of course, arithmetic operations are done by The calculator way is much easier, but it will prevent the child from developing his mental abilities and acquiring the necessary skills. The same thing applies to our modern life. We always love easy things and run after them, so many science fiction writers predicted that we will one day become a hostage of machines.

[franky1]

This is absolutely true, for example, mental arithmetic. In the recent past, people were very good at calculating numbers mentally. Today, especially children, they do not find the need to bother themselves to multiply two numbers because they simply can do it using a calculator or even a mobile phone. Of course, arithmetic operations are done by The calculator way is much easier, but it will prevent the child from developing his mental abilities and acquiring the necessary skills. The same thing applies to our modern life. We always love easy things and run after them, so many science fiction writers predicted that we will one day become a hostage of machines.

but learning the multiplication table via song/repetition is not stretching the mind to learn.
its just memory of a song. its not actually teaching different ways to work things out.
its not challenging. its simply try to remember something for long enough to pass a test.

EG learning a song about naming the states of america.. is not really geography.. its not actually teaching a skill about how to learn things. its just hearing a song and remembering the words. hoping you can remember the song in a few years.
for instance all the kids that learn the US state song. dont have a clue about what shape the state borders are. or which state border leans against which next state.
the song does not help them plan a journey from NY to CA
due to learning how to read from top left to the right, and then repeat down.. many young kids think/guess the US states are ordered were alabama must be is at the north west and wyoming is in the south east. due to the songs alphabetical ordering of the song and how they learned it via lyrics in that order.


arithmatic. via song, hurts a childs growth. and limits their mind expansion. even trying to learn how to calculate on paper has its time wasting limitations too.
calculators do exist and so its ok that these should be used. where the excess time saving due to technology can allow for real learning of more needed skills.
(new neurons and synapses linked to problem solving are not grown from song lyrics.. but memory synapses are.)
if you want kids to have good problem solving skills, then teach them lots of ways to solve lots of things.

why waste 6 months of kindergarten singing songs. when you can teach kids how to make money, save money and avoid risks of debt. learn how to respect each other and help each other. and other real life skills.

EG in my college years i learned more at home in the 6 months pre-college preparing for college(to get ahead), than i did actually during the course. i was teaching the teacher new techniques

EG further back..
my favourite young school age lesson was making easter eggs and selling them at the school spring fair. and then using that money to buy books our class needed for summer.
it taught us alot more than simply a 1+1=2 song, alot more skills were learned in product design, measurements, economics, all in a 2 hour morning session
(and yes we learned math too)

[Cnut237]

when punishments have become more relaxed. people lose fear of punishments.

EG if rapes are not a 100year sentance. and instead became a 6 month ankle monitor. rapists dont fear raping.

EG if murder is not a 100 year sentance. and instead a 6 year holiday camp style prison sentance. some murders become worthy of spending 6 years locked up being sheltered and fed for free

I don't think putting more people in prison for longer periods of time is the answer, as this excellent visual demonstrates.
Often people who are more likely to commit crimes come from an impoverished or otherwise disadvantaged background. If you're a kid in an inner city housing estate, with no education and no prospects, joining a gang is often the only route out. I think the solution lies in ensuring greater equality of opportunity.

[Gosgosking]

The reason why people would always want not to do the right things is when the government corrupt , it is easy to do things that are not right because it is already known that when people goes against the law , the law can't hold them responsible because money can be use to settle everything to go free from receiving any punishment.

[franky1]

The reason why people would always want not to do the right things is when the government corrupt , it is easy to do things that are not right because it is already known that when people goes against the law , the law can't hold them responsible because money can be use to settle everything to go free from receiving any punishment.

there are different reasons.
when you are the victim/witness of someone elses bad actions. there are two options.
a. want that actions stopped.
b. join that action and take advantage yourself

when the action doesnt present itself as having a punishment or has not harmed you personally. you are more likely to follow B.
when it has harmed you and there is a punishment you are more likely to follow A

when governments are corrupt. and you can see they can be bribed but you personally have not been incarcerated for a government action against you. you are more likely to do similar crimes and bribe the cops to leave you alone, thus reinforcing your morals to disappear and be more blatant in your criminal acts yourself

however if the government are strict. and there are punishments. you are less likely to become a criminal. as the risk of punishment is high and the chance of escaping punishment is low

..
its not just about educating, entertaining, distracting kids with things to do to teach them morals and right/wrong. its also about the society of what is tolerable and what can be done to prevent/or get away with a crime

EG if stealing food from a retailer had no consequence. the shelves would be empty even by moral people as they would not see it as a crime and think that food is a human right that deserves to be free.
even moral people can find justification to treat things that can be considered crimes elsewhere as moral.

take relationships.
some regions think that separating women and preventing them from flirting/dating/courting men until they are adults is moral. and teenage flirting/dating is immoral.
(using the 2 options above.. woman want A(it to stop). men want B(join in and subjugate women into hiding))

where as other regions think separating the genders by threat is immoral and teen flirtation is freedom and morally good.


take abortions and life support machines.(in a pro-life US state)
some think defending the right of life to keep the unviable body alive, that cannot self sustain and requires a support system (machine or pregnant mother) is the right of life and should continue no matter what the next of kin/pregnant mother wants/decides.
(men that cant get pregnant where the question of abortion doesnt affect them personally want B(ban abortions).. women that are at risk of unwanted pregnancy because it can affect them want A(allow abortions))

(in a free choice US state)
some think that the standard of life where the next of kin should decide when/if its time to detach the unviable body from the support(machine or pregnant mother) based on the chances of a good/bad life the body might have and how that supported life might limit the chances of a good life for the next of kin.
(those that never personally experienced this think the ease answer is keep them alive, they might become self sustainable.. those that have experienced it may decide its for the best to end the live out of compassion, to end the torture it may get if it continued)

after all IF you (hypothetical person) are a pro-lifer. the world should send you all the elderly, comatose patients,  premature babies, etc.  for you (hypothetical person)  to house feed and maintain.. after all, you want all these lives to continue, right? so you manage it. and no you (hypothetical person) cant decline the offer, you (hypothetical person) are a pro-lifer, you (hypothetical person) have to accept. no choice, right?

..
what im trying to say is. different regions have different 'morals' and definitions of right/wrong on many subjects.
you can try to teach these morals. but if there is no consequences to the bad stuff your society has pegged as being bad. people will create their own moral reason to think its acceptable.

EG. murder. many americans think killing is a moral right. EG someone enters your house to steal.. a petty item worth $20. they believe its their right to kill someone for $20, due to invasion of property.
on the flip side. just displaying a gun makes a witness fear his life. where the witness then becomes a murderer by defending himself from a threat of just seeing a gun(cops main excuse to kill a suspect).
(yep egg and chicken.. americans allowed guns but cops can shoot someone showing their gun)

in the days of the wild west. yea let everyone shot each other.. no consequence. no second thought. no law. where if you shoot someone obviously they died before they shot you, so you get to live, and you get to continue living free.. no consequence

but in modern times. there needs to be consequences. where if you shot someone you need to be punished for that. where by if you are witness to a gun. you dont automatically just shoot.. instead you think about the possible consequences. such as possibility of you being in prison for a 'bad shoot' and so you instead take other actions. like hide, run. call in backup. try to disarm. hand them your wallet and car keys and bid them a good day.. anything but just shoot..

..
now lets take that cop vs patriot analogy..
the 'right thing' well patriots have their right to have a gun, their right to defend themselves against a militia(cops). .. the cops 'right thing' is to defend himself. as he is an officer doing a job and does not deserve to die for just answering a call from 911 dispatcher
the smart thing:
patriots stop waving your guns around like idiots. thinking its a flag.
cops, stop shooting people just for having a gun.
both sides. THINK and be smart

smarter option. no one have guns

[amishmanish]

Sadly we are living in a commercial age where having money is biggest priority for a lot of people and we are  seeing a fall of moral standards. In old times  the character based traits like honesty, sincerity, truthfulness are  more appreciated. These days personality based traits are more valued.
Today people smile with their intentions being bad. They tend to put money before everything else, and what you pretend is considered as more important what you truly are

[BADecker]

It is always best to do the right thing rather than what is thought to be the smart thing. Why? Because we have a God in Heaven who will judge our eternal position - Heaven or Hell - based on what we do here - sort of.

What this means is that the right thing is really the smart thing.

Btw, Jesus's parable about the sheep and the goats is not a works righteousness thing, even though it looks like it might be. But if you study it in depth, you will realize that it is a faith thing... faith in the existence of God, and then faith in the righteousness that Jesus provides through His righteous life, His work on the cross, His death, and resurrection.

Faith in God in this way is the very best right/smart thing for all of us.

[Lordhermes]

Sadly we are living in a commercial age where having money is biggest priority for a lot of people and we are  seeing a fall of moral standards. In old times  the character based traits like honesty, sincerity, truthfulness are  more appreciated. These days personality based traits are more valued.
Today people smile with their intentions being bad. They tend to put money before everything else, and what you pretend is considered as more important what you truly are

This is indeed the truth because money is important,and therefore priority has been placed so highly on money,that people are ready to do any type of act just to get it.Many people play smart on people just to get that same money.It is hard to make money,or live a good life without playing smart on people just to get money,and this is what has increased the rate of crime in the society.  And people that tend to live right,knowing that it's wrong to indulge in such act live a life that is not upto expectation.