Tiger Woods just held a press conference, making a 14-minute apology for his transgressions.The apology itself was point-by-point perfect, so perfect that it's hard not to imagine that it was the product of professional PR advice (not that there's anything wrong with that — if I had his profile and were in his situation, I'd seek expert advice at this juncture, too.)
He offered two very different explanations for his wrongdoing, explanations that are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but just very different.
Woods' first explanation was that he had succumbed to temptation. The particular explanation he offered was that he had allowed himself to believe that the rules didn't apply to him, and that he had allowed himself to think that he had earned the right to enjoy the temptations around him. (As I've discussed here before, there's reason to think that excuse-making, and in particular the process of making exceptions for oneself, is a key component in various kinds of wrongdoing.)
The second, very different, explanation, was a medical one. Though he was vague about this, Woods said he had spent most of the last 2 months in treatment, receiving counselling and therapy. (Roughly, it seems the implication is that he suffers from addiction — namely, that he's a sex addict.)
I don't know (and the talking heads on TV don't know either, regardless of what they say) which of those explanations is correct, or whether there's some truth in both of them.) But it's crucial to see how different those 2 explanations are. The first is basically cognitive: the implication is that Wood had formulated a certain kind of argument in his head, namely an argument that said that he was subject to an exception to the rules he said he himself believed in. The second explanation is, roughly, biomedical — roughly that there is something, presumably something subconscious, in Tiger's head that makes him behave wrongly.
Now, Tiger Woods' wrongdoing was primarily not a question of business ethics. His wrongs were largely personal wrongs. But the question of what makes people do bad things is an important one in business ethics (and in other fields). So it's worth considering: is the cognitive (excuse-giving) part of his explanation plausible? Is it sufficient? And to the extent that it resonates with what we know about other cases of wrongdoing, does it point to a strategy for reducing the frequency of wrongdoing in particular contexts?
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Alicia PhD
Wayne Norman
AmyTuteurMD
teendoc
Jason D. Hill
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All these men (John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Elliott Spitzer, Tiger Woods....) engaged in NATURAL human behavior. When we pathologize what is natural, THAT is lying.
I can't wait to see Tiger back playing golf and WINNING.
This is just crisis management and every corporate has a bible for this very purpose. The UK media loves to destroy...the American media loves this too, but the difference is, America loves to forgive, and yes, you will forgive this man. Later, much later. The reinvention campaign will be timed properly and yes, it will be televised. But not now, there is too much collective shame to
sling at him, he is the new whipping boy for the sins of the world.
So, go Tiger go! F**k til it all falls off! Who cares. You're not the first man to destroy a family and you're not the last.
One interesting thing about that excuse is how it's convenient for anyone who's caught fucking around, regardless of political or religious beliefs. It works for the left, the right, the evangelical, and the secular. Sexual addiction is something they can all agree on--once they're caught.
Tiger Woods NEVER said he was ADDICTED. PERIOD.
He said he was in therapy. Psychotherapists treat people with behavioral problems that aren't addictions. Ever hear of cognitive therapy? Bad habits? Behavioral therapy? Insight oriented therapy?
This is a particularly annoying post, since you take a Process that Woods used to deal with his problems and are using the fact that Woods is taking advantage of psychotherapy to assert that he is playing the addiction card.
Why this is particularly wrong is that politicians and other public figures are stigmatized if they use psychotherapy when it is obvious that it would be helpful to many.
To say psychotherapy=addiction or psychotherapy=mental illness just makes it worse.
Being in counseling and therapy could mean any number of things. It could mean that he is trying to change his thought processes - his sense of entitlement, his ego, things like that.
Good recap.
R.
''I'm an egotistical asshole... I have more money than god... and almost as much power... I enjoy horny little sluts with low self esteem who are drawn to a man who treats them like shit... I just play to win... no matter the game... no addiction no choice... it's who I am... this world still needs people like me... unfortunately we haven't evolved past this yet... so here I am... put me up on a pedastal than tear me down... I'm a liar... so are a lot men who are ''successful'' in this environment you all love to love, and hate... yeah I'm a scumbag, but that is what money and fame allows me... now I'm going to stand up here, lie to you some more about what a changed man I am, and then I'm going to go win some more golf tournaments...when thats not enough again I'll go find me another piece of ass...in the end you'll either love me, or hate me but hell, I am what I am... thank you very much and have a nice day....''
then again I guess he could have meant every word of that scripted sorry ass apology... who knows....
I don't get this whole obsession with celebrity sex scandals. If they're politicians or religious leaders, that's one thing (although we're still way too concerned with their sex lives). But actors and actresses and sports stars? Unless they're raping people or having sex with children, it's not in any way our business.
Now, as to whether addicts (of booze, drugs, food, gambling, sex, whatever) "just can't help themselves", I don't know of a single reputable addiction therapy or group that claims this. Correct me if I'm wrong (I've never been addicted nor to an AA meeting or anything like that), but I'm pretty sure that two of the 12 steps are "making a fearless moral inventory" and making amends with those that you and your addictions have hurt. That's hardly letting an addict off the hook.
I don't think that the mark of a behavioral addiction is that you can't control your own actions, it's that you feel horrifically compelled to keep doing them even when you logically know that you shouldn't and that you don't exactly want to. I'm not sure if I'm phrasing this right or not.
From my own personal experience, recovery from addiction parallels closely with the five stages of grief. Tiger is in the very early stages.
I recognized two different behaviors in Tigers press conference. He said all the right things but spoke with very little authentic emotion about his infidelity and contrition. I saw an automaton that was void of feeling. The recovery process will raise all of this to a conscious state at some point and authentic feelings will follow. I pray for Tiger when he reaches this brutal stage of awareness.
I saw authentic emotion displayed when Tiger talked about the media and the paparazzi. He displayed true and conscious feelings and that is understandable because this area is not the least bit foreign to him.
I believe that the root of addiction is childhood abandonment. And abandonment can take on many forms. Tiger is going to discover a lot about his parents and his understanding and acceptance of what he discovers will take a long time to process.
When a 3 year old can go on Johnny Carson, act like a little adult and display a perfect golf swing, I would not consider that normal behavior for someone fresh out of diapers. Quite frankly, I consider that child abuse at the hand of his father and maybe even both parents. Correspondingly, when his mothers only public statement when all of this broke is "I am angry and disappointed at my son", I too find that to be unusual behavior. I think most mothers would react out of concern and sadness for their child and his family.
There are a lot of dynamics at play here that society in general is completely ignorant of. Rather than opine, condemn or vilify the man, I would suggest praying for him.
Who the hell is Tiger apologizing to? Why? It's between him and his wife, why does it concern anyone else? If he has an addiction, if he doesn't have an addiction. Whether or not he's done a "bad thing" or not, and why he did it...it's none of your f***ing business.
Nobody would expect an apology in front of the entire neighborhood from a neighbor who stepped out on his wife. Why does anyone expect one from Tiger Woods?
The fascination with Tiger Woods' and other stars genitalia tells me that too many people either have way, way to little of any substance going on in their lives, or they'd rather dissect other people's personality issues than examine their own.
He sounded like someone working their way through a 12-step program.
From a literary point of view, I found Woods rambling, repetitive, and often sloppy. For example, it's either "my misconduct" or "misconduct on my part," not "my misconduct on my part."
Now I know that Ms. Stellaa depends on me for pedantic corrections, and this time I can't resist. When she talks about "morays," I get all reptilian until I realize she's talking about "mores." That's one for the books, a mistake that neither spell check or grammar check can avert. Talk about bourgeois!
See:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/tiger-woods-gets-a-rise-out-of-the-stock-market/
Tiger honestly doesn't owe us the apology for his indigressions; he owes us the apology for the media manipulation. People used to keep their private lives private. When we deem it acceptable to share that privacy with the world we make it ok to perform such acts as press conferences to defend ourselves.
Last time I checked we weren't or aren't supposed to be on trial with a man for infidelity. Elin is the judge of that. However, with sponsorships and money, and athletic competition I'm sure the world needed to hear remorse. However, as a rhetor... it wasn't remorse it was an excuse.
great post though.. it got me thinking that sometimes things are taken to far and we create curiousity because in some way or another we know someone in the same boat.
There was a third explanation offered, and that was the fact that he had found God or, more accurately, Buddha. Oh, how we howled at that one, only because it reminded us of the claims of so many individuals in our nation's prisons. Praise the ... oh, whomever.
The other point that might raise a cliched eyebrow was his contention that there was no violence involved on Thanksgiving night. No golf shots fired in anger? No broken rear windshield? Even Jesper Parnevik, a fellow touring golf pro who was no doubt well informed of the events of that night, being a former employer and confidante of Mrs Woods, said that she should have used a bigger club.
Tiger must take us for as big a bunch of fools as some of the young ladies whom he laid, uh, better make that "with whom he liaised."
"Oh, how we howled at that one"
Just who the hell is "we"??!!
What an imperious hemorrhoid you are who uses this pronoun.
Who the hell do YOU think you are, doing others' thinking for them?
Are you a bible thumper?
As for the entire Woods situation, as a man and a golfer, the one and only thing I am interested in is how he plays golf on the course.
Unlike "I'm a philosophy professor who specializes in business ethics." who has exposes himself as actually being into gossip, I am neither a salon/nat'l enquirer feminazi or an empty scrotumed self hater like some of those "males" here.
I want to see some great golf.
Finally, ^^^^5's to Stelaa as she said, let's compare his dick to someone losing their home.
We can easily discern the mental limits of those who prick, er pick the former.
Even though Obama, the arrogant, prefers the first person singular, the preferred usage is the first person plural in the contexts involved here.
Stellaa, my sweet, as far as focus is concerned, your errors in English wouldn't challenge Mr. Magoo. However, you do provide me with wonderful comic relief from time to time in my purposeless life, and for that I thank you.
In chemical addiction, there is both a biological and psychological component at work. A change in brain/body chemistry so that there is an actual craving/need for the substance in question...but once that craving is removed (through detox, abstinence, medical intervention, whatever), the psychological/spiritual hole that caused the person to want to use the substance in the first place remains, even more gaping than before. That's where therapy/counselling/12-step programs/religion come in. It's akin to a chicken- egg situation...except usually the psychic emptiness came before the subtance used to fill it, even if the person wasn't consciously aware of it.
As for whether or not Tiger Woods should apologize - really, he doesn't owe "the world" anything...the amends should be going to his wife, kids, mom, friends, business associates, etc. (and perhaps each of those mistresses he convinced were 'the one??'). But the truth is, a lot of sponsors spent a lot of millions on this man based on how he and his reps marketed him - as being a squeaky clean family man in addition to being a stellar athlete. A lot of people in a lot of businesses have lost a lot of money over this. The "public" part of the apology is really for them...in hopes that they will want to reinvest in his brand some day.
In terms of "business ethics," one of the first things that occurred to me when this fiasco broke was something that nobody seemed to be writing about - namely, someone like Tiger Woods doesn't pull off this kind of epic infidelity without a whole army of help. This, to me, is where the ethical part comes in. If he is going to cheat on his wife, that's really a matter of personal conscience for Tiger. But the truth is, dozens (at minimum) of professional people involved in Tiger Inc. were involved in keeping this a secret for so long. You don't think his agent at IMG knew? His agent's assistants? The professionals who booked his travel? You don't think they all smiled and greeted Elin at tournaments as if everything were as perfect as they wanted it to appear, all the while knowing how he was deceiving her? In that sense, it wasn't just Tiger's ethical lapse. There were a lot of people who didn't rock the boat to keep the business running smoothly.
To me, that is a HUGE business ethics issue. I work in the entertainment industry and see this kind of thing happening all the time. I don't understand how agents, managers, assistants, accountants, etc. can simply agree to smilingly take part in the betrayal of a person so easily, just because it's "just part of my job."
Now if we only had a treatment for the media's addiction to other peoples sex lives, their belief in their entitilement to stalk little children and their irresponsibility of reporting every rumor and giving a voice to every self-seeking Bimbo void of any confirmation or valid evidence, perhaps the public could be spared.
Mr Woods owes no apology to anyone other than his family and perhaps his corporate sponsors who are the only ones who have shown any clase throughout this ordeal. The media has exploited the Woods since childhood. He makes money for them. They need him not the other way around. As long as he is the best in the world at what he does and that is always a temporary position, the media parasites will continue to cling to the host.
"tiger did [x]. discuss"
its business ethics in the sense that he had contracts with many very lucrative corporations to represent them as the pitchman or mascot. he got largely rich off the contracts/endorsements, not so much the tournament winnings.
Good thing I live in WI and, we have plenty of cheese.
I had commented on the imperious "Mr We" and his talking down to the group.
I need to thank him for the drivel he sent to my inbox as, I can always use a good laguh.
Here is his petty little rant~
"We regret that you take umbrage at our comment, and the way in which we chose to voice it. We were by no means being judgmental of Mr Woods, nor were we being imperious. This is a literary device that we sometimes use in attempting humor. Sorry you did not understand that, you born again moronic asshole.
It was signed,
apocryphalmumblings
or something like that.
Anyway, "we" found it funny.
The confusion of priorities just boggles the mind.
I heard it on the radio.
He is a human being.. fallible.. plain and simple..
I agree with what he said about the intoxication of power.
I think the people are especially hateful to him, not because he's rich.. but because he's black.. and also he's married to a white woman.
And I'm white.
I've been listening and have heard "is my slave boy ready" and "Satan is my keeper"
... but then again I'm running low on my psych meds. :-)
Yeah, dude, he's a golfer--a golfer with a full panoply of writers, press agents, and public relations experts at his beck and call. Get real.
Ha. That was kind of funny.
What's the difference between a Cadillac Escalade and a golf ball? Tiger Woods can drive a golf ball 300 yards.
And that, is where the amount of brain space I am willing to dedicate to a guy who chases a little white ball for a living ends.
Gee, I'm so glad our priorities are straight.
http://www.businessethics.ca/blog/2010/02/tigers-apology.html
r.
I have blogged on Tiger a couple of times and my theme is that it is none of my business. I do not stop at roadside accidents leering about someone's misfortunes nor do I care about anyone's sex life other than myself and partner.
People who use sports figures as role models are delusional. Chances are you'll use 'roids, get someone knocked-up, cheat on your spouse, and get an "F" in Algebra. Your role models should be our founding fathers, your demanding teachers, people like Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Golda Meir, Indira Ghandi, Mohandas Ghandi, and Jerry Brown (I love him).
Enjoy Tiger Woods for his game. Let the media, the nosy bodies, and the size queens get a life.
Read me at: http://TheHarvView.blogspot.com
Not wanting to hijack your thread or anything.
Dr. Evan S. Levine
One thing we can learn before we get old is that who we've screwed and how much or how many is far short of what determines the value of our life, our character or our identity.
If he is in therapy, at least it indicates he has found reason enough to understand himself. A few more folks turning in their narcissistic ways to become self-aware instead of following every egotistical impulse ought to be reason to cheer.
Like Stellaa, I'd be more interested in a discussion of the business ethics of those who've taken our economy on a death spiral ride to hell and are still being paid bonuses greater than I've earned in a lifetime of good work. Fuck them.
In an effort to extend the olive branch to XJS and Me, we wish to invite him (them) to the club for lunch, next time in town, or failing that, to visit us "chez nous" (can't find the italics) whilst enjoying the Hamptons this summer.