The problems with society are so obvious.
One one hand, we're trusting people with something.
On the other hand, people aren't always all that trustworthy.
For the first, we just blindly assume that judge isn't corrupt as sin, or that politician isn't doing anything "too" bad (Because we all think they're liars, amiright?), or that emplyee isn't stealing from you.
For the second, if they're caught, we nail them to the wall.
Except, some people are in better positions then others NOT to get caught. My favorite example, Harvey Weinstein, was pretty much untouchable, because of his position. The papers wouldn't report him, they depended on him. Celebrities wouldn't report him, he was making them filthy rich. The down and outer MAY have reported him.. Nobody listened.
And if you're Harv, are you going to check yourself? You think you're untouchable, but you're going to stop yourself because it's the right thing?
Does an alchoholic stop drinking? Does a gambler stop himself? Does a "you know what porn related" stop?
Sometimes, sometimes not, but probably not.
Which comes to the heart of the matter. To the point.
Nobody really insists on standards anyways? This thing I'm doing now, this soapboxing, people can't stand it. If there's no ethical standards, what's really keeping people in check, except for the fear of getting caught?
And there's the problem, as I see it. A fear of getting caught just isn't good enough, if you're someone who doesn't really have to worry about getting caught.
People know this, too. They know you can rationalize damned near anything, really. They do it all the time, for people they like, and refrain from doing so for people they don't. "Oh, Bill and Monica were just a relationship. It's their business." "That CEO took advantage of that intern! He was in a position of power over her, her consent is invalid."
Happens all the time. People feign outrage anyways, even though it's so obvious WHY people try and get away with shit, if they think they can.