Ethics is the glue that holds society together
Yes, you can do whatever you want. Your life is your own, and your choices are yours to make.
But your choices don't exist in isolation. They can affect other people.
When I say that, I'm not talking about religion, sexuality, or other aspects of someone's private life. What you do in your personal life should generally be nobody else's business.
The issue begins where people's lives intersect. That's where rules of engagement become necessary.
If I make a deal with someone but can't trust them to uphold their side of the bargain, I'm forced to imagine endless ways they might deceive me and spend time protecting myself against each possibility. Every interaction becomes more exhausting, more painful, and more insecure.
To me, this is the first layer of ethics: trust. Ethics create a shared expectation that certain behaviors and promises can be relied upon. Without that basic trust, society becomes mentally and practically exhausting to navigate.
The second layer is about restraining our destructive impulses. Human beings are capable of anger, greed, resentment, and cruelty. Left unchecked, these traits can cause immense harm to both individuals and society.
Take politeness as a simple example. Being polite isn't about avoiding the truth, being submissive, or pretending to like everyone. It's about recognizing the humanity of the person in front of you. Difficult truths are often easier to hear when delivered with respect. Small acts of courtesy reduce unnecessary conflict and make cooperation possible.
The third layer is about looking beyond yourself.
A healthy society cannot be built by people who care only about themselves. If everyone pursued only their own immediate interests, there would be little reason to cooperate, honor commitments, or make sacrifices for the common good. Society would eventually collapse under the weight of mistrust and conflict.
Every functioning society depends on individuals who are willing to give up something for the sake of everyone else.
There's a saying I've always liked: "If you can't help others make money, don't become a businessman."
The point isn't that businesses shouldn't make profits. It's that every business depends on a healthy society to survive. Customers need purchasing power. Communities need stability. Institutions need trust. Sometimes that means accepting lower short-term gains in exchange for a stronger society in the long run. When businesses undermine the society they depend on, they ultimately undermine themselves.
Notice that I haven't argued that ethics exist because they make someone a "good person." Nor have I argued that ethics require belief in God. If belief in God helps someone live ethically, that's perfectly fine. If it doesn't, that's fine too. What matters is understanding the role ethics play and choosing to uphold them.
I'm also not arguing for one specific moral code. Different societies can arrive at different ethical systems. What matters is that people share a common set of expectations and commit to living by them. Ethics are not merely personal ideals; they are the framework that allows a society to function.