Welcome to Your Mileage May Vary, where we delve into ethical dilemmas in modern life. Today, we explore a thought-provoking question from a federal employee wrestling with whether to stay in a job they believe allows them to do good, despite disagreeing with the current administration.

As Sigal Samuel writes in Vox, “If your goal is to do good, staying in your job might be the best way to achieve that.” The argument here is that enduring through a disagreeable administration could allow you to create positive change from within, especially if your role is somewhat insulated from the administration's more controversial actions.

However, Samuel highlights a crucial warning from philosopher Hannah Arendt, who cautioned against the acceptance of “lesser evils.” She reminds us that those in power often manipulate this mindset to normalize increasingly harmful policies. According to Arendt, we need to continuously ask ourselves, “Am I still doing good here?” and remain vigilant against the erosion of moral standards.

To safeguard your integrity, surround yourself with diverse thinkers and challenge your own beliefs. Reflect regularly on the impact of your work and stay grounded in your original purpose for serving. After all, the path to doing good is rarely a straight line.

Stay tuned for more insights next week!
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