Is corruption due to location or vocation? Culture or structure? Greed or creed?

I was recently told that it is not the culture that makes you corrupt, it is in fact the individuals who are corrupt. In my ignorance I ask you this: How is a culture formed? How do you define culture?

Isn’t culture some accepted behavior over time in a certain group of people or a location of geographical proximity? This accepted behavior by some then becomes a norm or a trend. That trend then becomes a majority. That majority, sometimes, becomes law of the land. If the unwritten rule of the land becomes more frequent, then it starts to shape a culture adopted by more people. That very trend stays in a society for years, decades, and in some cases even for centuries.

Hence, at the end of it all, corruption does occur as a result of culture.

Does corruption, then, happen due to location? If you bring a corrupt person from one location to another, does that person stop being corrupt? Anecdotal experiences over the years show that location plays a small role in changing values of people.

Many people from a certain location continue to be corrupt, even when they migrate to another location.

What per cent of the people in emerging markets do you think are corrupt? The answer came back was 97%. I added 2% more to that number and it a pleasing 99%. Pleasing, you ask? Sarcasm is the only way for our move forward.

If we bring the 15 most corrupt people in the world in a room and ask them if they are corrupt, what do you imagine will be their answer? An emphatic “NO”. Mind you, I am talking about the most corrupt people and yet the answer would be a negative.

You can eradicate corruption only by an individual decision and their determination. If we look at the societal structure, we soon deduce that clashes happen because of individual bias. Biases come due to beliefs. Beliefs rise from values, and values are instilled out of politics of many aspects. Politics breeds creed of victory. Creed is resulted in corrupt means or corruption and corruption is born out individual greed.

During your life time, how much are you going to hurt yourself by corrupting yourself of the highest values?

Share your most significant story about corruption you have faced in your life. That awareness and the reminder will be your first step in moving towards the betterment and the healing from such an epidemic of corruption that is almost all pervasive in most cultures and societies.

Be victorious, take the first step and share.