A principle or set of values about what is right and wrong that guides how a person behaves and makes decisions.
From Greek 'ethikos,' meaning moral or relating to character, from 'ethos' (custom, character). This evolved through Latin and Old French into Middle English.
The concept of 'work ethic' became incredibly important in industrial societies because factory owners realized that values and character could be shaped and even manufactured through cultural messaging, making ethics a tool of social control.
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