It's not easy to always do the right thing.
Which is why most people don't usually do the right thing.
Doing the right thing involves a lot of thought, empathy for others, and a self-awareness of your place in the world. You're not making a choice just for yourself, you're more often than not doing it for someone else. This, in itself, presents a difficult hill for most people to climb so, usually, they feel it's easier to make the selfish choice. Doesn't mean people always do. They can surprise you sometimes.
*The following article contains discussion of suicide/self-harm.
Reddit user, u/PresentationItchy204, wanted to hear about the moments when it wasn't always easy to do the right thing when they asked:
What's the hardest moral decision you've ever had to make?
Even when the choice amounts to something small, it can still matter to someone else.
How Dare You Make Me Morally Astute?!
"This is small potatoes compared to most of the people on this thread but many years ago I was travelling and had very little money. I went to a stall at a market, handed them a 10 dollar bill. Item cost 5 dollars but instead of handing me a five dollar note, the handed me a 50."
"I was walking away from the stall when noticed. My first thought was BONUS. But I had lately been hanging out with a bunch of people who were really into karma. So I stormed back to the stall, slammed the 50 down on the counter and told them off for making me make moral decisions. Lady behind the counter was like "ahhhhhh, thanks"
"Still pissed."
Didn't Believe The First Time, But Can't Deny Visual Evidence
"I told a co-worker his wife was cheating on him. It ruined our friendship for a good amount of time, until he caught her himself."
"To bad he couldn't just believe you."
Owning Up To The Mistake
"Fessing up to an error I made at work that cost the company 5k. I was a manager and misinterpreted a sales promotion. I almost lost my job, this is the one time that telling the truth actually saved me. It's true what they say that the cover up is usually worse than the crime. Lesson learned.."
The Universe Pays You Back In Kind
I had landed the highest paying job I ever had as a delivery driver. Their rule was if you hit anything in your first 90 days you are fired and about a month in I backed into a car. I very easily could have just payed cash for the repair and said nothing because my work van didn't have a scratch, but I told the company and got fired.
The silver lining is that I have now started a business and am making more than I did at that job with less hours
Doing something morally correct when it comes to family can be tricky. On one hand, you don't want to ruffle the feathers of the people you're going to be related to for the rest of your life...which is how family works.
On the other hand, do the right thing.
Get Out
"Whether to stay in a severely abusive relationship with my parents for the sake of other family members (younger siblings and grandparents - some of whom are also victims) because I knew it would be treated like a packaged deal, or to get out and save myself (as I have severe trauma issues)."
"In the end I didn't really have much choice. The PTSD got too unbearable."
"So difficult to choose to save yourself when it affects other people."
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Making The Best Call For Your Children
"Removing the mother of my two sons out of their lives completely as she was unfit and abusive while I was on deployment. They were 3-4 years old then and now they are 17 and 15 with their mother never attempting to come back into their lives which I would prefer at this point."
Because They're Going To Be Sad Later...
"My grandmother died, and I lied to my parents about it."
"My grandparents were 95 and my parents hadn't had a vacation in 30 years. So when she passed away with only 5 days remaining on their vacation, my family decided not to ruin it for them; instead, we'd plan the entire funeral and if my mother wanted to make adjustments when she returned, we'd arrange it for her; there was nothing they could do to get her back."
Letting Go...
"Having to decide on the DNR (do not resuscitate) order for my father who had been victim to a massive stroke..."
"I know millions have done it before and millions will again but to me it was devastating....."
"As a health worker, you did the right thing by your father. I've come across families of patients who keep them alive for their own peace of mind while the patient themselves is tired and in alot of pain mentally and physically from the constant treatments and would rather rest from it all. Don't feel bad for your decision."
...Is Sometimes For The Best.
"to decide in the name of my terminally ill father with the doctors to not give him a gastric tube 2 months ago because of all his pre-existing conditions."
"rest in peace my old man. you were the best."
"put the beer on ice. we'll meet again."
Nothing Is Harder Than Telling The Truth
"One night my mom asked me to grab the family laptop from her room upstairs so that we could look at clothes I was maybe 8 (F)."
"See the laptop was upstairs with my dad who usually locked himself in the room for multiple hours a day. This day however, he had left the door unlocked and was asleep with the laptop in his lap, so me being innocent, I took the laptop without asking."
"Even at 8 I knew my dad did horrible things bc I saw him abuse and hurt my mom. So I turned on the laptop, which was unlocked and my dad had not closed anything out."
"There on the screen I saw chats with multiple women, nudes, plans to meet up with women, and personal videos."
"As I was walking down the stairs slowly looking at all this, I asked myself "Do I close everything out and protect my dad to save our family of 6, or do I tell my mom the truth"
"And?"
"I told my mom everything, she packed our bags that night & we left to my maternal grandparents house."
Never doubt your actions when it comes to protecting children.
Ever.
They Don't Need That Kind Of Bad Influence In Their Life
"Kicking my mother out of my home. She came to stay with me and I found alcohol and pills in her room (was helping her clean after she went to the hospital) I have 3 kids and I wasn't going to take any chances. I cried the whole time we helped her move out. We still stay in touch, but in different states."
Stepping In
"Calling CPS on a student's family after she begged me not to. CPS did an investigation and she was pissed at me for months until the vice principal had a talk with her and explained that I only did it because I care and didn't want her to get hurt."
"That VP is awesome. I sat in his office while he coached me through the call, since it was my first time calling CPS."
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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