I’m reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. This observation from a section on “cover-up cultures” is quite keen. I think it’s a bit narrow to state that it is always money driving ethics (in these cultures), as I’ve also observed things like power, ego, and fear behind the wheel, but ultimately anything other than ethics driving ethics is, well, unethical.

“When the culture of an organization mandates that it is more important to protect the reputation of a system and those in power than it is to protect the basic human dignity of individuals or communities, you can be certain that shame is systemic, money drives ethics, and accountability is dead. This is true in all systems, from corporations, nonprofits, universities, and governments, to churches, schools, families, and sports programs.”