Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Senator Larry Craig, Rep. Tim Mahoney, Rep. Mark Foley, Senator John Edwards, Senator Ted Stevens –
This is a just a partial list of some politicians involved in lies, corruption, betrayal or other wrong-doing. Then there are sports players like Barry Bonds, Plaxico Burres, Michael Vick and OJ Simpson, or NBA referee Tom Donaghy. And the in the financial world, New York trader Bernard Madoff confessed to the largest Ponzi scheme in history – $50 billion.
These are all examples of leaders, celebrities and role-models who have displayed examples of poor character, greed and, success & achievement at any price. And if one were to continue down the ladder, it would be apparent that brokers, lenders, CEOs and even individual investors are equally guilty of the lust for success at any cost.
And what is the effect on the youth?
The Josephson Institute, a Los Angeles-based ethics institute, recently surveyed over 29,000 randomly selected high school students and found that students lie, cheat, steal, but think they’re good kids. The study reveals that 64% of students admitted to cheating on a test within the past year; 36% admitted to using the Internet to plagiarize an assignment; 30% admitted to stealing from a store within the past year and; 23% said they had stolen from a parent or other relative. The most shocking revelation of all: 93% of the students said they were satisfied with their own ethics and character, and 77% said that “when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.”
Jim Peake of mysuccessgateway.com interviews Patrick Wanis to delve into the causes, motivations and potential solutions of a widespread syndrome of poor character, greed and success at any price that has infected almost all elements of society from students and parents to politicians and sports players, and, bankers and investors.
Click below to listen to the interview.
Patrick Wanis, PhD, is a renowned relationship and behavioral expert with over 25 years of experience. Creator of SRTT Therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique), he specializes in resolving root causes of trauma and other conditions without reliving pain or retraumatization. He has developed various psychological assessments on emotional intelligence, relationships, self-sabotage, and authenticity, and serves diverse clients from celebrities to teens. A trusted media source, Global media including CNN, BBC, FOX News turn to Wanis for insights into relationships, sexuality, human motivation, trauma, communication, body language, and persuasion.