Character VS reputation

"Character speaks volumes about a person. Be especially mindful of your ethics, even in what may be constituted as small and insignificant matters"(Wahba, 2017).

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are". - John Wooden

Under this post, Wahba reflects upon how values have been lost over the years. Not because they are no longer valid, but more because of the lack of disregard for the values we once had has '"numbed us to praising their great worth" (Wahba, 2017 - February 19th). She goes on to remind us to listed to our hearts so as not to be misled by what she calls a 'temporary facade of profit or achievement'.

We are surrounded by this all the time, whether we realize it or not. When you see a commercial on TV or an ad in the papers about a company that is promoting how it is supporting a certain charity or cause, it is designed to make you think that the company cares.. and perhaps they do. However they are also doing it to promote themselves first and foremost. By making people think that they support environmental causes, they hope that it will attract more customers. They also get a huge tax write off!

I am not knocking them, trust me. I am however, of the opinion that charity is something that is done because you care about something, not as a means of self promotion.

So where do you draw the line? When does a business cease being just a 'for-profit' business and become a 'socially responsible' business? Does being 'socially responsible' make the risk of harm or damage OK? Major gas companies will promote themselves as socially responsible, and yet their carbon footprint is huge and devastating to the environment. They will fight at government levels to protect their business interests and prevent alternative transportation methods such as energy efficient or electric cars.

On a smaller scale, you often see local businesses 'supporting' a cause in a print advertisement, seeking publicity for doing good.

Recognition for doing good, yes I can understand this. Using a good deed to gain profit? This is difficult for me to get my head around.

Does everyone need to know every time someone does a good deed?

The UK charities act 2011 defines the following list of charitable purposes:

1. The prevention or relief of poverty
2. The advancement of education
3. The advancement of religion
4. The advancement of health or the saving of lives
5. The advancement of citizenship or community development
6. The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
7. The advancement of amateur sport
8. The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
9.  The advancement of environmental protection or improvement
10. The relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
11. The advancement of animal welfare
12. The promotion of the efficiency of the armed forces of the Crown or of the police, fire and rescue services or ambulance services
13. Other purposes currently recognized as charitable and any new charitable purposes which are similar to another charitable purpose.

A charity must also provide a public benefit..
No-where does it mention that a charity exist for 'donor advancement', so why do we feel the need to gain recognition for doing good? Why can we not just take satisfaction in carrying out the deed?

I have met people who have built their business based on a perceived reputation,and yet their ethics stink. I have seen companies blatantly publicize themselves as hero's, and yet they cause so much destruction and harm. Perhaps we are too deep into their web of lies and 'alternate facts' and are now reliant on them to the point that we cannot see another way?