“For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.” ~Noam Chomshky

The world is sinking in a sea of double standards.

I am personally appalled by the circus of sexual impropriety currently commanding the American landscape, as well as the double standards of media coverage and partisan cover-ups.

But it’s not as though it just began, the sanctimonious denials, the hush-money pay-offs, the abuse of power.

It’s long past time to take a long, hard look at the application of our own standards, our personal, ethical foundation, before we examine our family’s or company’s or country’s, and most definitely before declaring ours true, right or justified. (We need look no further than the Bible to reveal inequity in the interpretations of its standards.)

Decisions made by those in power—whether in the highest boardroom, darkest bedroom, or seediest backroom—forge the foundations for the future standards of their followers.

Standards are established based on a desire for something: desire for improvement or destruction; for forgiveness or revenge; for integrity or compromise.

We set standards for everything, from what we say and do, to what we eat, to what we wear.

But when those standards are unequally applied, they are no standards at all.

Your child hits another child, he was provoked; when your child is struck, he had nothing to do with it.

You’re late for a meeting, there’s a good reason; your team member is late, it’s not okay.

Some offenses are warranted when we commit them, but not when someone else does.

Wars fought for one reason are justified, but for another they are insults to humanity.

As though death is not death, or assault not assault, or unethical behavior not unethical—no matter the reasons.

There simply aren’t enough reasons to justify double standards.

And leaders need to remember that.

Because the next generation is watching.

And their pet peeve is hypocrisy.

“Leaders scan the future so it can be free of doubts and fear. They do so by not living a double standard life in the present.” ~Israelmore Ayivor