If you see someone in need, and you are able to help them, are you morally obligated to do so? This topic is very similar to the Parable of the Sadhu generated in class. My interest in this question was sparked while watching, of all things, the classical sitcom Seinfeld. The link below is the exact clip that I watched and demonstrates a great example of a real-life application to my topic.

https://youtu.be/zPnK0NCn_MQ

 Are we morally obligated to help someone in need? Many views and/or arguments suggest that this is the case. Utilitarianism is a moral view that requires generating the most amount of good for the highest number of people possible. The only way this can be done is through philanthropy and serving your fellow man. One might also argue that this follows under the “Golden Rule”, that is do unto others as you want them to do unto you. In other words, one’s life should be led by treating people the way you would want them to treat you. Similarly, one such philosopher, Immanuel Kont, suggests that you should act in a way that all others could act that same way and society would continue to thrive (he calls this model the categorical imperative).

Now are we morally obligated to help someone in need? One could also say that no, we have no such obligation towards others. While this may seem harsh, it does make sense that we should be concerned with our own well-being rather than the well-being of those around us. In addition, helping those in need could be to the detriment of the person who came to help. Looking back at the Seinfeld clip, the robber did seem to have a weapon. Any interference could have ended in harm to those who came to the man’s aid, or even the man getting robbed himself.

How might we connect this topic to a business setting? Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you believe that working as a team within your company is an effective business strategy. As an example, Nike runs all of their retail stores in district teams. Each store/district builds off each other's success and lends help when needed. Contrast that to a company like Adidas, where they work as individual sales units rather than as a collective driver. Both company models have had major successes with these models. Nike has had more long term success, whereas Adidas has had short term bursts of extreme hype. Does this mean that one model is the right way of conducting a business and the other is wrong?

So, are we morally obligated to help others in need? The answer doesn’t seem so simple. Personally, I believe that you do have a moral duty to help your fellow man. Imagine a world where people didn’t help each other. In a world where everyone looks out for their own self-interests, I don’t think that anyone could ever achieve true happiness or satisfaction. Leading a life that demonstrates a model of service to other people is how we thrive as an individual and as a community.
But what do you believe? Is helping others in need a moral duty, or simply a moral option?   

References:

Hartman, & Desjanrdins. (2018). Business Ethics: Decision Making for Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill.

Eisenberg, N., Hofer, C., Sulik, M. J., Liew, J., Eisenberg, N., Hofer, C., … Liew, J. (2014). Objective Measure of Prosocial Moral Reasoning--Modified. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 58–70. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hpi&AN=HaPI-417686&site=eds-live