Personal Code of Ethics

 “What a man seeks in pleasures is the infinite, and no one would ever renounce the hope of attaining this infinity” says Cesare Pavese in his book “Il mestiere del vivere” (The business of living). This quote has always provoked me for its truth. It is so interesting the fact that, even if unconscious, every human action is made to attain happiness. However, we are not really satisfied by every kind of human action or pleasure. It is quite evident that it is not even possible to act this way, therefore some ethics are required, in order to achieve happiness and to obtain the maximum satisfaction form our action.

Since my present commitments are divided between study and part time work, I will try to identify my personal set of ethics that guide my decisions through these two activities.

There is not real satisfaction without respect toward the others and responsibility for your actions. I am committed to them both. They fit, first of all, with a genuine concern of others that I often find in myself. Thus, in the routine activities in our office I always try to do what I say. Since every action in our office is related to the others, it is not respectful for the persons working in the same team failing to do what you commit. The same approach I try to follow in my studies: I always try to come prepared at class. It is a matter of respect for the interlocutors (professor and students) rather than a matter of grades.

Honesty and integrity are the first conditions for working with somebody. If I cannot trust the director of my office or the team of students with whom we work together, we create an unhealthy environment and spend more energies than necessary. Trust is hard to build, and I am always predisposed to work on it, especially in a new environment. However, trust is also fragile, and ones it is lost it is very hard to win it again. Although I think that the person is not the mistake he makes and he or she needs always a second chance, I admit that I struggle with it. Also, cheating in a test has always resulted impossible to me since the days of the elementary school. I could never feel in peace acting in that way. However, I have learned not to transform honesty in an ideological issue.  Especially in my past work experiences, when the situation might be unnecessary complicated between peers, I don’t have problems not to disclose any information and thus justify it. So, I am really concerned if my actions are generating the greatest benefit, before I consider them right or wrong.