ESG, Social Credit Scores, and Putting the Proper Importance on Reputation

The Garrett Ashley Mullet Show

With the cancel culture of recent years, plus the #MeToo movement, plus all the talk of Woke ESG investing, and Chinese-style Social Credit Scores potentially going global, or coming to the U.S., and Big Tech dialing down the democratization of information on behalf of repressive regimes, there is no question that we have some work to do on thinking rightly about reputation.

How important ours is to us, for instance? This question may sometimes lead us into temptation, to compromise about what we otherwise know to be true and good, in the interest of being spoken well of by men. Of that we must beware.

On the other hand, there is a legitimacy to considering optics, and the relationship between what people see and what they get.

As Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold."

In some sense, this means we only care so much what people think of us. Yet maybe it is clearer to say that it translates into emphasizing that we do not take bribes. Yes, the person trying to grease our palms may think and speak ill of us as a result for a time; but we will have a better reputation, and more holistically, with the folks who really matter.

It's just like how the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:20-21, "We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man." And when the question of reputation is framed that way, all the necessary safeguards are in place to keep us from veering either to the right or left, since the first priority is to do what is honorable in God's eyes.

Take note, that is not to say that we hold in contempt what others think. On the contrary, the phrase "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind" comes to mind as le mot juste to convey neither too much, nor too little, nor in the wrong place, or at an inopportune time, or for the wrong reasons, putting stock in our reputation. Rather, we care the right amount, and take the long view.

Doing what is right, and honorable, and saying only what is true, God is glorified. So also, those around us are honored and served well. And alongside this, not in opposition to it, we can have a good testimony and name. And that is an exceedingly valuable thing, just as it is written.

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