Most definitions of integrity involve words like honesty and principle, probity and candor … in other words, truthfulness. And yet the original root comes from the Latin word integer (a word that might give some of us a grade school math flashback) meaning wholeness.
In sum: a person with integrity stands firm in the wholeness of what they know and the truth of what they are. Bernie Sanders, Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump all have integrity just like Gandhi, Catherine the Great and Genghis Khan had integrity (not that I’m implying any relationship between those two sets of names or anything). “To thine own self be true” is what I’m trying to say. That’s integrity.
However, this begs the question: which self are we talking about being true to?
The human ego has multiple faces. Freud divvied up the human personality structure based upon the different voices of the id, the ego and superego–the inner unruly child, the inner moderating adult and the inner authoritarian dictator respectively.
Eventually evolutionary psychologists like Abraham Maslow recognized a greater potential in humans, positing the existence of the transpersonal ego–an ego that recognizes its kinship with all life and begins (as Jesus continuously exhorted us to do) to treat others with the same consideration and honesty s/he desires for her or his self … no matter what.
Which is bloody well easier said than done.
I know a single mom with two young children who is dealing with the consequences of transpersonal integrity right now. She stepped up to the mark at work, speaking out in a situation where a lot of people stood to be harmed if things weren’t handled properly. And she spoke out knowing full well that she might lose her job over it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I would have had the guts to do what she’s doing. I’ve pursued integrity all my life. But then I have it easy. I don’t have kids needing cereal and milk put on the table every morning. I don’t have tuition fees. If my electricity and water get shut off, I’ll manage somehow. My feet aren’t growing so the shoes I have will last me through.
But put everything on the line with mouths to feed? In this crazy economy? That’s integrity.
Can you imagine Trump doing such a thing? Or Hilary? Or Bernie? Absolutely! Frankly I can imagine all three doing it. But for wildly different reasons. Which brings me back to the whole issue of integrity and truth and politics and how the ego comes into play with all the above.
Who can’t see Donald Trump standing up and speaking out–loudly– for something he believes in and putting it all on the line? And yet he would do it, not because it’s the right thing to do for other people involved, but because it worked for him and he can’t imagine being wrong and he’s driven to constantly dominate and prove himself right.
I can easily imagine Hilary putting it all on the line if it looks like the right thing to do to get ahead, no matter what the consequences.
And Bernie? What can I say? He’s my guy so I like to think he’d be right there along with my friend, sticking his neck out for himself and others, feeling the fear and the burn of concern for his children and their welfare, yet also knowing his willingness to do what’s right for others–no matter what–is the best example he could possibly set for them.
Which is why I’m not worried about my friend. I know she and her kids will be alright. She’s resilient and resourceful as well as brave. I’m sure right now she’d like to be immune from both fear and consequences. But that’s not how life goes in the 21st century. But at least she can take comfort in knowing that her kids are learning first hand what evolving values look like and what it takes for an individual human to go beyond the needs and pressures of their individual ego for the betterment of the whole.
And that’s what integrity is all about.