| Grady Booch, chief scientist at IBM Software | | | | bottom line is black, except for those companies |
| Group's Rational division, has questioned whether | | | | that never intend to do anything but get the |
| software developers should be involved in creating | | | | other guy’s money by hook and crook, how |
| systems that are deemed immoral or harmful to | | | | does Mr. Singham’s company differ from |
| others. And Neville R. "Roy" Singham, founder and | | | | others? |
| chairman of ThoughtWorks, took up the subject | | | | Doing good, doing socially responsible things, |
| of morality and code during a recent interview | | | | making moral decisions, is easy if it is only done |
| with eWEEK. Singham said he wants to do good, | | | | when it doesn’t hurt. But neither amounts to |
| change the industry and make money. He is | | | | being good, being socially responsible, or being |
| quoted as saying, "It used to be that shareholder | | | | moral. If ideals can be discarded when a shortfall |
| optimization was the prime directive. Our model is | | | | occurs, then it’s really ok to dump mercury in |
| serving society in an economically strong way, | | | | the river or anything else to keep the bottom line |
| which is a multi-stakeholder approach. So we are | | | | black. And that’s a definition of a scoundrel, a |
| all for gaining a more sustainable environment, the | | | | person with a black heart and a black soul. |
| green movement. . . . The fact that it was legal to | | | | An ancient Russian adage defines charity as |
| dump mercury in the river many years ago | | | | sharing a bone with a dog when you’re as |
| doesn't mean it was not immoral. The fact that | | | | hungry as the dog, and it has been pointed out |
| it's not illegal but is immoral, who's accountable for | | | | that wealthy people who donate large amounts to |
| that? The fact that a disproportionate number of | | | | charity are giving away what they should be |
| African-American men go to prison in the United | | | | giving back. Being moral and charitable when |
| States or are on parole or probation and nobody | | | | neither hurts are neither moral nor charitable |
| seems to care about it or says, 'That's somebody | | | | actions. True morality cannot be compromised. |
| else's problem,' is just wrong." Still, he realizes | | | | Because businesses are willing to compromise |
| there are times when the social initiatives must | | | | morality, quality, and truth to keep the bottom |
| take a back seat. "If we have a revenue shortfall | | | | line black is why poverty, hunger, disease, crime, |
| . . . we're . . . going to go after revenue. . . ." | | | | and war kill, why people are enslaved and |
| After telling us to love our enemies, Christ says, if | | | | exploited, and why the planet has been raped. |
| you love only those who love you, what good is | | | | That they have done so to keep the bottom line |
| that? Even scoundrels do that much. So what | | | | black does not justify any of it. Scoundrels love |
| good is doing what Mr. Singham says? If a | | | | to wear moral faces, and businessmen love to |
| company pledges to be moral only when the | | | | claim that they are do-gooders. Humbug! |