Report Card for Humanity.

I came across this article the other day (while killing time by surfing the web during the rainy patch we just had).
Its an independent research report for over 140 countries in the world, on "Perceptions" of Corruption" ie, how people feel about the honesty and integrity of "life" in these countries.


http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/cpi_2009_table


Once again it reminds me just how privileged I really am (and most of you who read this blog are too by the way).

Now, for my part, this is one of the real overall measures of how we as a "sentient species" are all doing... and sadly its not great. But what it also does is reminds me just how lucky I have been to have been born in and lived in the countries that I have. And that also reminds me that my "expectations", and sensibilities are so different to most of the rest of the world.

So, having a quick look at the list, it shows that Australia and Canada are both in the top ten (about the top 7%). Places like the UK and the USA are significantly lower at 18th rank or so (still pretty good though).

Now, most tourists I see down here have very little good to say about the locals when it comes to business ethics and honesty, and I have to say that I can see where they are coming from, and this survey backs those impressions up.
But, those same people pretty much always have nothing but scorn for the locals with regard to "why they dont just change the way they do things"... And I dont see it quite the same way.

The survey says it all again.
Corruption is endemic in most of the rest of the world at many times the magnitude that it is in our homes.
This means that the locals have never ever had a working model of what an honest society looks like. And if you have never seen it in real life then it must seem to them, more or less like that foolish dream world of mine in which people dont lie to each other.... Bahhh! Impossible!

(I use the term "honest" here quite loosely... 'cos there is still plenty of dishonesty where I come from and corruption in official organisations too for that matter).

Chances are that pretty much every one the locals have ever had anything to do with, are all involved in dishonest activities on a regular basis - particularly when it comes to official organisations like government offices, taxes, and police etc. They all try to get away with whatever they can. They steal from each other just as happily as from the tourists. Many of them are still very nice people to meet and talk to though.

So, its all well and good to dream, but it takes a great deal of moral conviction to live that dream when the rest of the world isnt doing it too!... And the people who do have those sorts of moral convictions, quite often resort to unacceptably violent behaviour to try to bring the rest of the world around to seeing things their way ... or so it seems to me, and thats just "not cool" either!

So, I can see why it is so hard to effect changes in this area for so much of the world.

Just another reminder of the privileges I have inherited rather than earned.
And the only solution I can offer is to try to live by example.... Which is what I do as best I can and thereby try to earn the privilege :)