On the contrary — the decisions you have to make to avoid negative consequences are often the best test of your ethics. Consider how many people would’ve been punished for speaking out against what plantation owners were doing in the 1800’s, for example.

The illusion that they feel different is extremely powerful. It’s worth resisting. It helps uncover all kinds of ways that we contribute to unethical behavior, if only through inaction.

The concept of having a price attached to your ethics is essential. Without it, people fool themselves into believing they’re above temptation. In my experience those same people tend to be the most vulnerable to it.