Song of the Sirens, Essay Example

The Song of the Sirens: Ethical Business Practices and the Journey to Success

Greek literature is full of mythological creatures that can bring great pleasure or great torment to human beings. In some cases these creatures seem to offer both, by luring men to unpleasant fates. This is clearly seen in the example of the Sirens, which were beautiful females who sat on the rocks of their home islands and called out to passing sailors and seafarers. As they sang their siren songs, the sailors would be tempted to steer their ships close to see and hear them better, and would be dashed to pieces against the rocks.

As someone who is entering the world of business, it is important to avoid the siren song of temptation. The world has seen many examples of unethical business practices from people like Bernie Madoff and from Wall Street companies that wasted billions of dollars of investors’ money. When money is involved, there will always be temptations, and greed can be a powerful force. It takes a strong sense of ethics to avoid such temptations, but it is still possible to be financially successful while also maintaining ethical business and personal standards. Success is not just about doing well; it is also about not being afraid of doing the right thing. The Sirens will always be singing, but it is the ethical businessperson who will successfully steer the ship away from the rocks and onwards to a successful journey.