A-Level Critical Thinking On The Parable Of Sadhu For Free Use

The “Parable of Sadhu” indicates that the shared values are shaped by common interests, whether these interests reflect the need to belong to a group, or the need to influence others to accept one’s differences. McCoy indirectly suggests that the decision made regarding the fate of the Sadhu had to do with his friend, Stephen’s lack of power to establish himself as an ethical leader and find a solution agreed by all expedition members. However, the discussion to whether the approach towards the Sadhu was correct is more complex and involves ethical and leadership considerations, as well as an analysis of what was gained and what was lost by the undertaken decision.
The decision to leave the Sadhu continue his road towards the hut on his own, after the Sherpa carried him for 15,000 feet to put him down on a rock on the sun, while the group continued its expedition, reflects a lack of shared values. As McCoy observes later in his article, the shared values represent the common denominator in a corporate environment that creates harmony within a firm, determining the employees from all levels to act according to an instituted set of guidelines that emerged from the accepted values. However, McCoy suggests two things with this observation. Primarily, he describes a stressful situation, which requires the establishment of common goals and values, hence, organization.
While the stressful situation was representative for the situation of the expedition group formed by New Zealand, United States, Japan and Swiss members, unlike the corporate environment, in the case of the expedition there lacked a sense of organization. All individuals coming from different cultures, and having different goals, could not find shared values that would inform an agreed decision about the Sadhu. Second, he implies that leadership is required in this situation, from individuals who can guide and coordinate others. Leadership is required in any situation, but in the mountain expedition described, there were more than one group, each with their diversities, which hindered the possibility for a leader to arise, while also guaranteeing all the individual values and diversity of the group members. This situation addressed the challenge of leaders to find a balance between individual diversity and group values, inspiring the individuals to adhere to a shared set of values, identifying with them.
However, there was a common goal that guided all the members of the team, which was to finish the expedition as planned. The encounter with the Sadhu was an accident that they came across in their way. Nevertheless, as human beings, it is moral to help another human being in need, for no other reason than acting rightfully and kindly towards another person. But in specific situations, there are different values that prevail, according to the factors that define each situation, values that are representative for the group, or the majority of the group. In this sense, because everybody of the group, with slight hesitation from Stephan’s side, wanted to continue their expedition, letting the Sadhu on his own to reach the hut was the ethical choice, according to the code of moral value of the individuals that composed the group.