Some things never change. People want to survive and people want to reproduce. And we will always have segments of society that will go to surprising means to survive. Killing, burning, looting, you name it. Shocking as an observer or recipient, but it helps the perpetrator get what he wants. Advancing their objective that likely involves an increased chance of survival or procreation.
A simple and low stake example. In Nigeria, world renowned for its corruption. I used to need the service of an individual that was dishonest with money. Red handed, but I did not challenge for reasons I may discuss in the future The point is, such an individual cannot be trusted.
Now the aforementioned individual wanted to increase the amount of resources available to him to better his position of survival. Very understandable. Some may say that the end justifies the means. You got what you wanted despite wrecking havoc along the way. But there will be times when the end does not justify the means.
Going back to the Nigerian example, it’s not difficult to argue that such a person cannot be trusted when they openly lie through their teeth. This person has burned a bridge because I am still around and I know he is a liar.
So the point that I am trying to make on when the end doesn’t justify the means is this: if the other party(s) survives your distasteful behavior, you have not only burned bridges and limited opportunities, you’ve also made a lot of enemies along the way. And the grounds shift constantly in fickle ways, so who knows, there may come a time when they are able to stab you in the back, so be careful.
Kingston S Lim
12th October 2022
Banjul, The Gambia
Kingston S. Lim 