Across the trees, the sun is slowly sinking behind the hills. The sky is glowing a brilliant autumn orange. Crickets are starting to chirp, and the campfire smoke is being carried into the sky.
An owl hoots and looks down at a Scoutmaster staring into the red, orange, and white fire flickering in front of him, lost in thought. Scouts sit around the fire. Some are chatting, some bundled up and apparently freezing, another heating water for cocoa, and a few roasting marshmallows.
The Scoutmaster suddenly looks up and around the camp, then starts to speak. The chatter slowly dies down. Even the owl seems to stop hooting to listen.
“There are so many things in life that are not really good or bad. They just are. Think about it, a pocketknife, this campfire, a cellphone, a game system, even the pot we are making cocoa in. Every one of them can be used in ways that are helpful, kind, useful, fun... or in ways that are not so honorable or ethical.”
The Scoutmaster looks at one of the Scouts, but says nothing.
“Hey, why are you looking at me? What did I do?”
A few Scouts start to snicker, not really teasing, more from knowing.
He continues, “Maybe it’s carving your initials in a tree, something that isn’t yours, or even hurting someone.” Wrinkling up his nose, he adds, “Or maybe burning the cocoa.”
A Scout suddenly runs over to check the pot.
Looking around and grinning, the Scoutmaster continues. “Maybe it’s how we intend to use things, and how we actually end up using them, that gives our actions integrity and makes them honorable.”
A teenage Scout chirps in, “You mean like during the service project, using a shovel to fix the trail rather than smack my annoying brother in the back of the head?” He giggles a little.
A younger Scout shoves him. “Hey, am I that bad, you dork!”
Without losing a beat, the Scoutmaster continues, ending the brotherly love. “Something like that,” he chuckles. “Think about advertising too. Some of it is harmless, some is useful, or even fun. But other advertising seems to lose any sense of integrity along the way. Like, you know, all those hate ads that kept buzzing in during our favorite shows over the last few weeks.”
Many Scouts nod and sigh. One mumbles, “Glad those dumb political ads are over with.”
The Scoutmaster nods. “Yeah, me too. But I guess that is kind of the point. Something can work really well and still not be ethical or honorable.”
He pokes at the fire for a second. “Maybe integrity is just remembering that how we do something matters too.”
From beside the fire comes a voice. “Does that mean burning the cocoa was unethical?”
The Scoutmaster looks toward the pot. “No. That was just tragic.”
A deep uncontrollable laughter fills their campsite.