<p>Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? </p>
<pre><code>There are many factors that affect how a person makes decisions. Although the innate sense of right and wrong often guides people to do the right thing, the desire for fame and fortune drives people wayward. While knowing that pollution will cause permanent damage to the environment, large factories have polluted rivers in order to reduce cost and increase profit. The emperor of the Qin dynasty ruthlessly sacrificed thousands of people to build the Great Wall of China, a symbol of the emperors power. Though conscience is a strong motivator, wealth and power is much more powerful.
In China, a chemical company built a factory in the rural areas to produce the chemicals the company needed. Through their production, the produced excess substances that contained lead and other heavy metals. The company released this toxic substance into a nearby river, which was the water source for rice fields. The contaminated rice was eaten by innocent villagers and lead to a disease that permanently damaged the brain. The company officials knew that the substance was harmful, but in order to increase profit, the released it nevertheless. Their desires for money overcame their conscience and lead them to harm others.
The Great Wall of China, one of the few manmade architectures visible from outer space, has its dark side. The emperor of the Qin dynasty was afraid that northern tribes would invade his land, so he ordered for the Great Wall to be constructed. He did not care about the costs and how many men he might lose. Archaeologists claim that bodies of workers who had died under the harsh working conditions were buried under the Great Wall. Emperor Qin only cared about his power and neglected the needs of his people. His greediness for power and reign over China left no place for conscience.
The desire for money and power not only dominates a persons decisions, but also drives him to possibly harm others. Conscience can motivate people to do just things, but when challenged with fame and fortune, people cannot resist the lure.
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