Dr. Gruder is tracking eight varieties of the Unintegrity Epidemic on the IntegrityWatch Blog. Each variety shows up within ourselves, in our relationships, and in how social and political issues are addressed. Most of the varieties are self-explanatory, or at least nearly so. Yet, they are too often thought of as separate problems rather than as symptoms of a single problem – Unintegrity:

1. Lying: I tell falsehoods or conceal truths in order to manipulate you or others.
2. Undependability: I don't make good on commitments I make to you or others.
3. Unteachability: I refuse to recognize the consequences of my actions or inactions.
4. Non-Self-Responsibility: I deny any part in a problem I am having, a relationship I am in is having, or a problem in a system of which I am a part – I insist that it is not my fault or it is not my job to help solve.
5. Obsession: My goal (or my organization’s, stakeholders’, religion’s or country’s goal) is so important that I will reach it no matter what damage I do to myself or others along the way -- the ends justify the means.
6. Disregarding Highest Good (personal, relationship or systemic): I achieve short-term personal success, relationship results or systemic solutions at the expense of long-term price; I get what I want in ways that make it harder to get what you want
7. Unilateral Decisions About Highest Good: I know what is best for you and I am justified in doing whatever I must in order to make it happen.
8. Dysfunctional Systems: Those in the system (whether a relationship, family, organization, business, social system, religion or government) know it is broken but do not make it a top priority to join together to do what is necessary to repair it. (See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.) We insist we are doing the best we can by just putting out today’s fires. We cover for each another’s lack of integrity because we believe the broken system makes integrity almost impossible. (Nero fiddling while Rome burns.) We nonetheless insist we are doing the best we can.