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How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living
Breaking down complex philosophical issues into a step-by-step self-help guide, the founder of the Institute for Global Ethics shows us how to grapple with everyday issues and problems: Should I take my family on a much-needed vacation or save money for my children's education? Should we protect the endangered owl or maintain jobs for loggers? This is a unique, anecdote-rich, and articulate program that teaches us to think for ourselves rather than supplying us with easy, definitive answers. Offering concrete guidelines and principles, Kidder enables us to resolve ethical dilemmas and to make the tough choice between what are usually two "right" values.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 1995
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1739 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 20, 2011
Despite the self-help sort of title, this book is better described as a basic book on ethics. It is an easy read and uses real life examples to illustrate the ideas being presented. While not the be all and end all on the subject, it does open the door to deeper thought about how our everyday choices shape not only who we are, but also who we will become. A woefully understudied subject, this book is a great starting point for more ethically driven thinking and living.
January 31, 2010
While some of the methods of decisionmaking discussed here are valid, the whole work is simplistic at best. At no point does the author examin basic assumptions or question the core values of his ethical system; a system that is based on nothing but his own perception of the concensus of his peers.
December 8, 2011
This book was assigned reading for one of my graduate classes. As my introduction to a formal ethics education, this book did it's job. When you have to read something for a class, you just hope you don't want to gouge your eyes out with rusty spoons by the time it's over. There were moments in this book I considered looking for silverware; but again, this book was simply another requirement on an already busy life. The deck was stacked against my enjoyment of it from the beginning.
As far as the content, I found the book useful. The author presents a few thoughts I found compelling. First, there are situations in life that are "right vs. wrong". Do what is right, no questions asked. Second, there are situations in life that are "right vs. right" and these situations require a well equipped ethical toolbox. Finally, the book presents a set of paradigms that can be used to analyze these "right vs. right" situations.
However, concerning the delivery of the material, I found the book hackneyed and frustrating. The author is clearly Christian. I don't have any issue with his faith, I take issue with the fact that it is so prevalent in his writing. Additionally, I would have preferred more in depth analysis of the more interesting ethical issues, instead of the trite examples featured throughout the book. In summary, the delivery of the book torpedoed the message; making this book come across as moralizing, instead of a useful discourse on morals.
As far as the content, I found the book useful. The author presents a few thoughts I found compelling. First, there are situations in life that are "right vs. wrong". Do what is right, no questions asked. Second, there are situations in life that are "right vs. right" and these situations require a well equipped ethical toolbox. Finally, the book presents a set of paradigms that can be used to analyze these "right vs. right" situations.
However, concerning the delivery of the material, I found the book hackneyed and frustrating. The author is clearly Christian. I don't have any issue with his faith, I take issue with the fact that it is so prevalent in his writing. Additionally, I would have preferred more in depth analysis of the more interesting ethical issues, instead of the trite examples featured throughout the book. In summary, the delivery of the book torpedoed the message; making this book come across as moralizing, instead of a useful discourse on morals.
March 20, 2022
This is a good overview of different ethical systems, rule based, ends based and care based as the author describes them. It also provides many practical examples and situations. I think that there are some parts of this which have not aged well.
The epilogue where he cites Madoff as the incidence of ethics recession in 2008 I think is also underselling the issue. The investment banks and securitization chain which caused the crisis to begin with goes left unmentioned. Madoff got caught because the market collapsed at that time. He did not collapse the markets.
This is just one example. There were a lot of points in this were I scribbled stuff in the margins because it was a weird presentation. On the whole though I think it is still a good introductory book to ethical concepts and generalities.
The epilogue where he cites Madoff as the incidence of ethics recession in 2008 I think is also underselling the issue. The investment banks and securitization chain which caused the crisis to begin with goes left unmentioned. Madoff got caught because the market collapsed at that time. He did not collapse the markets.
This is just one example. There were a lot of points in this were I scribbled stuff in the margins because it was a weird presentation. On the whole though I think it is still a good introductory book to ethical concepts and generalities.
April 4, 2025
A primer on fundamental ethics that everyone can benefit from reading.
Get straight with your values and work on the habit of identifying and navigating timeless moral issues.
Pros: The concepts never go out of style and are scalable.
The author has primary knowledge of the subject matter and does a good job making the material accessible.
Cons: A bit dated, the version I read was last updated in 2009. Also, has lots of table inserts that break up the reading and are more distracting them helpful. Keep the main thing the main thing!
Get straight with your values and work on the habit of identifying and navigating timeless moral issues.
Pros: The concepts never go out of style and are scalable.
The author has primary knowledge of the subject matter and does a good job making the material accessible.
Cons: A bit dated, the version I read was last updated in 2009. Also, has lots of table inserts that break up the reading and are more distracting them helpful. Keep the main thing the main thing!
January 16, 2021
I’ve always found the issues of ethics, morals and ethical dilemmas to be fascinating. particularly when it comes to medical issues and legal issues. Mercy vs Justice. Truth vs Loyalty. Honesty vs Truth. Many of these conundrums are addressed in Kidder’s book.
How Good People Make Tough Choices offers an introduction into basic ethics issues. It discusses our own choices, not so much right vs wrong, as right vs right. Also, how surrounding ourselves with people who make ethical choices and working for companies that strive toward ethical policies enhances our lives.
Billed as a self-help book, How Good People Make Tough Choices feels more philosophical in style. More moralizing than effort to guide one through the process of making moral choices. An abundance of overly detailed examples, together with a lot of lists that felt like filler, made the book read rather dryly and feel repetitive. A lot of focus on the author's Christian beliefs could be off-putting to some readers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #emptynestreader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #HowGoodPeopleMakeToughChoices #RushworthKidder #ReganBooks #nonfiction #selfhelp #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #Januaryreads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #kindlebooks #kindle
How Good People Make Tough Choices offers an introduction into basic ethics issues. It discusses our own choices, not so much right vs wrong, as right vs right. Also, how surrounding ourselves with people who make ethical choices and working for companies that strive toward ethical policies enhances our lives.
Billed as a self-help book, How Good People Make Tough Choices feels more philosophical in style. More moralizing than effort to guide one through the process of making moral choices. An abundance of overly detailed examples, together with a lot of lists that felt like filler, made the book read rather dryly and feel repetitive. A lot of focus on the author's Christian beliefs could be off-putting to some readers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #emptynestreader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #HowGoodPeopleMakeToughChoices #RushworthKidder #ReganBooks #nonfiction #selfhelp #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #Januaryreads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #kindlebooks #kindle
April 28, 2010
I strongly recommend everyone read this book. Did you know that you are struggling against opposing rights in many decisions you make?
The four main dilemmas addressed in the book:
1. individual vs. community
2. short term vs. long term
3. trust vs. loyalty
4. truth vs. justice
Kidder teaches you how to prepare yourself for dilemmas you will face that will challenge your ethics and values to their core.
The four main dilemmas addressed in the book:
1. individual vs. community
2. short term vs. long term
3. trust vs. loyalty
4. truth vs. justice
Kidder teaches you how to prepare yourself for dilemmas you will face that will challenge your ethics and values to their core.
January 27, 2021
Knjiga koja etiku oživljava, vraća joj pragmatičnost i funkcionalnost u očima čitalaca, a naročito studenata. Na Univerzitetu Donja Gorica, u Crnoj Gori, ova knjiga je preporučeni udžbenik iz etike. Etika u svakodnevnom životu, a ne u policama kao dekoracija, dnevne sobe... Ako želite da podignete svoje obrazovanje na viši nivo, ova knjiga će vam dati šansu.
May 29, 2025
➛ hgpmtc ★★★.5
“𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩. 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚.”
this ethics book was pretty good and interesting! there was a lot on the paradigms of ethics and how they fit in our daily lives. there were so many examples here too, but i felt as though some of them were not needed.
“𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩. 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚.”
this ethics book was pretty good and interesting! there was a lot on the paradigms of ethics and how they fit in our daily lives. there were so many examples here too, but i felt as though some of them were not needed.
January 27, 2021
Itekako korisna knjiga. Preporučujem.
February 3, 2024
Maybe we do need corporate ethics like never before, but here lies the worst kind of nonfiction. Dry in its attempted conversation, laborious in explanation, contrived in the application of its various frameworks.
Bound to be studied by historians as the belated grapplings of capitalist America with the practice of abusing the letter of the law against its spirit, this emasculated response to moral dilemmas has 0 takes and succeeds only in turning Orwell’s “obedience to the unenforceable” into what we now call blunt business lingo.
Good reading material if you’re studying for the GRE though. Copy these frameworks wholesale, especially “ends-based, rules-based and care-based” (Sandel is somewhere laughing) and the “eight dilemmas”, which include truth v. loyalty and long v. short term, and you’re good to go.
The crazy part was how he calls to attention the urgent moral intensities “of our times” by invoking examples that betray the bias he purports to expose. Citing “61% of teens have lied to their parents in the past year” as a sign of growing bankruptcy does not jive with your simultaneous “truth v. loyalty is a real dilemma” schtick.
Bound to be studied by historians as the belated grapplings of capitalist America with the practice of abusing the letter of the law against its spirit, this emasculated response to moral dilemmas has 0 takes and succeeds only in turning Orwell’s “obedience to the unenforceable” into what we now call blunt business lingo.
Good reading material if you’re studying for the GRE though. Copy these frameworks wholesale, especially “ends-based, rules-based and care-based” (Sandel is somewhere laughing) and the “eight dilemmas”, which include truth v. loyalty and long v. short term, and you’re good to go.
The crazy part was how he calls to attention the urgent moral intensities “of our times” by invoking examples that betray the bias he purports to expose. Citing “61% of teens have lied to their parents in the past year” as a sign of growing bankruptcy does not jive with your simultaneous “truth v. loyalty is a real dilemma” schtick.
June 5, 2008
What do we do when two choices are both right, and consistent with our values, but we can choose only one? How can you decice between justice or mercy? Or the rights of the individual versus the good of the community? Or what if I need to choose between short-term or long-term consequences? Or truth and loyalty? Both are the "right" choice, and both are consistent with my values. So how do I decide?
This is a quick, straighforward, easy to remember, and easy to understand framework for ethical decision making. (If only my college ethics class had been this straightforward!) With the many real-life examples included, I couldn't help but find myself thinking back to situations where I had made tough "right-right" decisions and wishing I had had this information then!
This is a quick, straighforward, easy to remember, and easy to understand framework for ethical decision making. (If only my college ethics class had been this straightforward!) With the many real-life examples included, I couldn't help but find myself thinking back to situations where I had made tough "right-right" decisions and wishing I had had this information then!
February 21, 2019
Excellent introduction to ethical decision making using analysis of a plethora of cases. Kidder starts out with making a distinction between moral temptation (Right vs. Wrong) and an ethical dilemma (Right vs. Right). Contrasting it with laws ethical decision making is “obedience to the unenforceable”. Ethically healthy societies leave a large range of issues in this unenforceable space to allow its citizens to rise up to the “universal” moral calling.
Ethical issues typically fit into four paradigms: Loyalty vs. Truth, Justice vs. Mercy, Short term vs. Long term and Individual vs. Community. The resolution principles that allow you to form ethical opinions range from Utilitarian (end-based), Kantian/Deontological (rule-based) to that based on the Golden Rule (care-based). In some cases a trilemma option might exist that would address both sides of the ethical concern. Finally, businesses should work on developing an organizational culture of ethical decision making, rather than leave it solely to the individual or focus solely on compliance.
Ethical issues typically fit into four paradigms: Loyalty vs. Truth, Justice vs. Mercy, Short term vs. Long term and Individual vs. Community. The resolution principles that allow you to form ethical opinions range from Utilitarian (end-based), Kantian/Deontological (rule-based) to that based on the Golden Rule (care-based). In some cases a trilemma option might exist that would address both sides of the ethical concern. Finally, businesses should work on developing an organizational culture of ethical decision making, rather than leave it solely to the individual or focus solely on compliance.
April 14, 2020
The version I read felt quite outdated, and I see that it has since been updated. This felt like an ethics textbook, which was helpful but sometimes a bit dry.
I like the idea of developing ethical fitness—that because we have practiced and thought deeply about ethics, we are better equipped to make ethical decisions when they arise.
Also helpful was the distinction between “right-wrong” moral temptations and “right-right” moral dilemmas. The latter could fall into the subcategories of “Justice vs Mercy,” “Individual vs Community,” “Short-term vs Long-Term” or “Truth vs Loyalty.” These dilemmas arise in situations where both responses could be “right,” and grounded on important values, but both can’t be chosen at the same time.
The distinction between law and ethics was also helpful. Law is “obedience to the enforceable” while ethics, or “obedience to the unenforceable," is that area which is not legislated but calls for freely chosen moral behavior.
Overall, this was a helpful and more robust follow-up to learning about ethics from Chidi on The Good Place :).
I like the idea of developing ethical fitness—that because we have practiced and thought deeply about ethics, we are better equipped to make ethical decisions when they arise.
Also helpful was the distinction between “right-wrong” moral temptations and “right-right” moral dilemmas. The latter could fall into the subcategories of “Justice vs Mercy,” “Individual vs Community,” “Short-term vs Long-Term” or “Truth vs Loyalty.” These dilemmas arise in situations where both responses could be “right,” and grounded on important values, but both can’t be chosen at the same time.
The distinction between law and ethics was also helpful. Law is “obedience to the enforceable” while ethics, or “obedience to the unenforceable," is that area which is not legislated but calls for freely chosen moral behavior.
Overall, this was a helpful and more robust follow-up to learning about ethics from Chidi on The Good Place :).
April 19, 2021
I had to read this book for my ethics class in school. This is genuinely one of the worst books I have ever had to read. Kidder rambles with no end in sight for over 200 pages. His views are old school and whenever he gives examples he continually simplifys them to an extreme extent. The only parts that I looked forward to were examples from other people that he wasn't allowed to simplify. I kept finding myself comparing this book to a high schooler trying to meet a minimum word count for an essay. He repeats segments of the book constantly with no additional information. I found myself coming away from the readings without remembering a single thing of what I just read because the way he writes is just so unbearably boring. I hated reading this, and I wish Kidder was still alive so that I could send him hate mail for this torturous book.
April 2, 2018
I didn't necessarily choose this book of my own volition; however, I am in an ethics class in business school right now, and this was our required reading. It also happened to fit into one of the Around-the-Year categories, and I figured I would kill two birds with one stone. I used this for my "Book with a Text-Only Cover" prompt, which I believe is week 26. I'm going all kinds of out-of-order, but that's just the way it is sometimes!
I thought the book was interesting - it's your typical commentary on ethics in society, particularly in the business world. I enjoyed some of the anecdotes, but this isn't my typical choice for a read. Proud of myself for finishing, though!
I thought the book was interesting - it's your typical commentary on ethics in society, particularly in the business world. I enjoyed some of the anecdotes, but this isn't my typical choice for a read. Proud of myself for finishing, though!
October 8, 2017
Kidder provides a decent introduction to ethical issues, paradigms, and approaches to working through them. While the book does this well enough it is a revised and updated version, and, as such, I expect it to be better organized. It can come off as occasionally repetitive and a few topics seemed shoehorned in (the two pages of "the language of ethics"). Altogether a decent enough experience, but could be improved.
May 20, 2020
Great discussion on the nature of ethics and how to look at ethical dilemmas (as Kidder describes right vs right decisions) especially useful for the modern age. While there are no conclusive answers or a framework for such dilemmas (as there likely cannot be), Kidder’s engaging writing style and engaging case studies / thought experiments give the reader plenty of food for thought and will help to build up their “ethical fitness” for when the time comes to face such moments.
April 11, 2021
Maybe we don't always face tough choices in everyday life.but sometimes we must take decisions that put us in face of our core values. i really enjoyed reading this book and i really enjoyed get into the shoes of its characters and living their ethical dilemmas. it is a good introduction to basic ethical principles.
September 23, 2023
I found this book in a tub at work one day when we had nothing else to do. I started reading and while it's definitely dated, it serves as a reasonable primer for ethical decision making. Your mileage may vary depending on your own background, but I took what I consider valuable lessons from it.
October 28, 2023
Solid book on ethical decision making. It provides valuable tools and a decent framework for verifying and analyzing a moral dilemma. The examples in the book were pretty weak but I think more there for their simplicity to reinforce his framework. Leaders should read this.
January 8, 2026
Super interesting, I read the old one not the newly edited one… some stuff that was supposed to be obvious seemed tone deaf lowkey. For sure a book to read to understand a basic of ethical dilemmas tho.
June 21, 2017
Great outline of the crux ethical choices - individual vs community; mercy vs justice and a couple more.
July 16, 2018
Good mix of theory about ethical choices coupled with real world examples. Although the title may suggest a "self-help" aspect, it is more theoretical and thought-provoking.
January 28, 2020
bleh. super repetetive
December 5, 2020
Ethics, this book does a great job breaking down instances of ethical dilemmas faced in government and normal everyday situations. Not as dry as I had assumed it would be.
-D.
-D.
April 19, 2022
Decent book, has a bit of fallacies and leans a bit right wing for me
Read
July 12, 2022had to read for class lol
October 2, 2022
Read for class
February 12, 2023
Well this was easier to read than the paperback.
Thank you Rushworth Kidder for writing this book.
Thank you Patricia Tallman for recommending this book.
Thank you Rushworth Kidder for writing this book.
Thank you Patricia Tallman for recommending this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews