Morality Versus Propriety: A Personal Perspective

Morals and values are what makes each of us ourselves and distinguishes us from one another. Everyone is unique due to our individual experiences and backgrounds that make us who we are and shape our interpretations of the world around us. Being told to act morally in a situation and being told to act properly in a situation are two different entities. The understanding of what it means to do something properly versus what it means to do something morally differs from person to person as a result of the inexhaustible amount of factors that affect our ethical standpoint. While it is possible to act both morally and properly, it is more often that people choose to act one way over the other due to the circumstances. The difference between

Money is a strong force that is able to weaken the social fabric because of the suspicions and sense of mistrust that it produces. In addition, money is capable of clouding one’s judgment so that their actions reflect a more selfish, immoral purpose. For example, Daisy Buchanan’s seemingly jovial character is juxtaposed with her shallow, egocentric actions that demonstrate that material wealth is the one thing she cares about. Because of money, Daisy is able to disregard Gatsby’s love and sacrifices that he made for her because she represents an unattainable dream. Although readers are not able to learn much about her character, it is made clear that she lacks morality when she does not even batter an eyelash to the death of Myrtle or Gatsby, both of which she is the cause of (Fitzgerald). The issue amplifies when Daisy simply leaves without a trace. Evidently, Daisy did what she believed to be proper because her insolent husband, Tom, would have condemned her otherwise. Her society centers around Tom’s opinion of her and how he will provide her with the luxuries that she is able to enjoy; as a result, what Tom believes is correct is what Daisy practices. Therefore, Daisy serves as an accurate example of someone who only knows how to act based on what is proper because she has no morals. Readers

Choosing to do the right thing is difficult because there exists no clear description of what the right choice is. The difference between right and wrong is not black and white; rather, it relies on one’s conscience as well as the outcome of a situation. Dishonesty is often resorted to because of greed or pressure, among a multitude of factors. The meatpacking industry is a prominent example of a complete neglect and destruction of morality. Meatpackers paid little attention to the quality of what they were selling, which would eventually be consumed by countless people. The factory owners were only concerned with making a profit, and they were able to benefit by producing cheap quality products with cheap labor (Sinclair). The meatpacking industry was undeniably completely lacking in morals and properness. If factory owners had chosen to work honestly and with dignity, they would create sanitary conditions. Moreover, if they had chosen to act based on the notion of propriety, they would have yielded to corruption and informed the public about what went into the food that they ate. The difference between acting morally versus properly in the situation of the meatpacking industry is that acting morally includes taking into account the health of consumers and acting properly includes maintaining a professional demeanor towards employees. However, the