Exit of human values at the advent of material well-being and prosperity.

Decline in human values as one falls a prey to greed. As the prologue to the book describes, it is a story exploring truth, falsehood and everything in between.

Ethics has been a perennial human problem: the gap between actions based on reality 'as it is' and ideals 'as it ought to be.' Sometimes, the gap has been more and sometimes less, it has also differed with cultural differences. Presently, all over the world, the problem is considered serious. Earlier, the balance was in favor of collective responsibility: more reliance on norms laid down by religion, laws, and codes of conduct. Now, the emphasis is shifting towards, individual responsibility: ethical choices, compromises, moral courage, transparency, accountability, and self-awareness. This demands education and understanding which is possible through exposure to selected masterpieces of literature and their creative interpretation. Ethics cannot provide unambiguous principles. In it there are only the conflicts, the paradoxes, and the dilemmas. Solutions lie in individual judgments based on moral clarity and realistic and situational compromises. If the individuals have a high sense of awareness, they can see more clearly what is right and what is wrong and find responsible pragmatic solutions to their ethical dilemmas. For example, turning back to Raghunath, why could he not have the moral courage' to practice transparency and tell Satyadas: "on your previous visit, you left behind some gold coins and a ring. I waited for long for you to return. Only then I sold them to invest in my business and building a house. I want to repay you. Let us work out a repayment schedule."

Satyadas Jamuna Greed Personification of temptation Comes back as embodiment of conscience Morality

Raghunath Honest grocer Guilt ridden in the end. Remorseful Inner conflict contented with earning his frugal living religious in outlook and compassionate towards others

Ethics
The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human What are they? actions or a particular group, culture, etc. It defines how thing are according to the rules.
Where do they come from? Why we do it?

Morals
Principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct. It defines how things should work according to an individuals principles. Individual - Internal ideals and

Social system External

Because society says it is the right thing to do. We may face peer/societal disapproval, or even be fired from our job.

Because we believe in something being right or wrong. Doing something against one's morals and principles can have different effects on different people, they may feel uncomfortable, remorse, depressed etc.

What

if

we

don't do it?

Flexibility

Ethics are dependent on others for definition. They tend to be consistent within a certain context, but can vary between contexts. A person strictly following Ethical Principles may not have any Morals at all. Likewise, one could violate Ethical Principles within a given system of rules in order to maintain Moral integrity. Greek word "ethos" meaning

Usually consistent, although can change if an individuals beliefs change.

A Moral Person although perhaps bound by a higher covenant, may choose to follow a code of ethics as it would apply to a system. "Make it fit"

The "Gray"

Origin

Latin

word

"mos"

meaning

"character" Ethics are governed by professional and legal guidelines within a particular time and place

"custom" Morality transcends cultural norms

Acceptability