Do people really have that much of a problem admitting that they are bad?
I don't think that
good or
bad is the point. People mostly behave as they've been taught to behave, and their environment teaches them what's acceptable. Most people are also unwilling to rock the boat. Sometimes people don't have much choice about rocking the boat. For example, if you have people to feed, and effectively everyone is doing whatever it is you object to, you can't always afford to rock the boat.
So if you're working at some financial services-type place and everyone in the industry says that handing out mortgages to people without requiring proof of income is
really great!!! and that turning junk mortgages into mortgage-backed securities is
really great!!!, most people will go along with it. Some because they think that this stuff really
is great. Others because they don't want to speak up even though they don't agree.
Obviously, the situation is more complicated than this, but the basic idea is there.
