"What a Piece of Work is a Man!"

When one looks at the history of human beings it is very difficult to find anyone who is without fault. I don’t mean this largely from a Christian point of view where, by and large, the witness of the mainline church is universal: "human beings as we know them are sinful and unclean." I am reflecting more broadly on human history, where despite many people having done great things for other people, human beings cannot consistently lead moral lives--- in both their public and private lives.

There are many larger examples in history that exemplify the ambiguity of human ethics. Interestingly, probably the best examples are some of our previous presidents, which gives us reason to pause at this juncture in our history. Let us just consider the cases of three of our very effective presidents: Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Jefferson probably is best known for his writing of the Declaration of Independence where he penned: "all men are created equal." He went on to be a leading statesman and president, as well as a great inventor. But at his plantation at Monticello he had female slaves with whom he had sexual relationships, even leading to at least one reputed child.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (pictured above) led our country out of the depression and through most of the Second World War. He did some wonderful ethical things as president and statesman. However, at home he almost assuredly had an ongoing relationship with his wife's social secretary, Lucy Mercer, while living what is reputed to be a platonic relationship with his wife, Eleanor. John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, is known for his leadership and presidency, as well as for his rhetoric. He married Jackie, who was a wonderful wife and they had a great family. But his exploits with other women are well known. Although he was able to lead our country through the difficult Cuban missile crisis, as well as oversee many advances in the space race, when you mention his name today it is very often his illicit private life, rather than his successful life as a world leader, that comes to mind.

Of course, it is possible to find many other examples of people who lived more consistently on the public and private stage, as far as we know. But since they are human beings, there may well be other character flaws that came out in their lives that reflect upon human ambiguity. We can well reflect upon the reasons for this, but by and large one stands out above all others. Whenever one does something well received in the public realm, he or she receives accolades, which in turn leads to great pride transferred to the private realm. Privately when a family member is filled with hubris, it is difficult for those who know you best to treat you normally. Quite often this leads to an imbalance in the relationship, and perhaps the family system. Preferring to believe the praise of the public realm, the individual often opens themselves up into dangerous areas in the private realm. That great pride leads them to not think deeply in other relationships, to seek insular praise, and ultimately to live an immoral life behind the scenes. If this is true in the life of someone who seems praiseworthy in the public realm, even for their reserve, how much more it must be so for someone who is seeking great praise at home and away.

Sadly, this inconsistency is true in all phases of human history. One great example I have lifted up to get this point across in teaching ethics is that of Oskar Schindler. Schindler was able to save thousands of Jewish people who were under fire (sometimes literally) in the holocaust in Nazi German areas. But he was known for his womanizing and his heavy drinking and his basically immoral personal life (having at least a long-term wife and two mistresses). From my study of him I believe that if most more consistently moral persons had known Schindler in all phases of life, we would have been revolted by him. Ironically, this same character flaw may have served him well when being able to “act” out his part as a Nazi compatriot, even when he was saving over three thousand Jewish persons.

All of this came to mind as the news came out this past week from the president of one of my former institutions of higher learning concerning the past exploits of a former professor who taught during my time at the school. This professor was a concentration camp survivor who not only taught for over twenty-five years but had a building named after him at the school. Sadly, it has been discovered that his personal life was not consistent with this, as it has been documented that “multiple former students had come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct.” For this reason, his name was taken off the building. One wonders whether the traumas of his past might have led to the inconsistencies in his ethical life. Regardless, it is another example of the lack of consistency in the macro and micro ethical areas of human beings.

Citizens are right to be wary about those who purport to care most for them. Unfortunately, too often what they prize are themselves! Perhaps Shakespeare, who seemed to understand human nature well, was right when he had Hamlet say, “What a piece of work is a man!” Too often the worst actions that a person has done in their personal lives put a blemish on the noble deeds they have done for others.