Well this is officially my first blog....I don't know where to start but I will begin with my reason for starting one. In my pursuit of a better life, I have decided to embark upon the challenge of becoming a CPA. While my urge for becoming one was greater immediately after college.....I pushed it aside in the pursuit of MONEY!!! Money comes and goes I have learned, and while it has provided me with a few things i want in life it has not satisfied all or my requirements. I want more out of life and it has become clear to me that I must demand more of myself if I want more. I want to be free to do what I want when i want and how I want. That day will arrive when I own my own business. An accounting firm. A great one. First I have to build from the ground up and that starts with my CPA license. For me to acquire that I first have to fulfill the requirements of the state of Texas and take the required courses to solidify my knowledge of accounting.....That brings me to this........Ethics in Accounting. They do not always go hand in hand, and many people have suffered from the lack of it and the demonstration of it. So how do we determine right from wrong?? Good from bad?? Ethical from Unethical????????? That is what we are going to explore this semester at Mountain View College.
The first day of class was definitely interesting to me as I saw people from all walks of life, pursuing the same thing I am in search of. Our instructor is also very interesting. I can tell that he has a good grasp on the mental philosophy that we accountants have to have when making decisions. I can tell this class will be beneficial as well. I took business ethics in undergrad and so I am curious on the differences that will present themselves this semester (I hope). I see unethical behavior from time to time as an auditor. I have looked at to many general ledger accounts and financial statements not to have seen a few "enhancements" over the last 3 years. Some large (million dollars or more) and some small (around $100k) but all were falsely input and intentionally misleading. That is not always the case in the real world and in the big scheme of things some of this unethical behavior goes on for years and years.....We saw what happen with Bernie Madoff.......He put together the most elaborate, successful, unethical string of activity the U.S. has ever seen. Only to get caught and spend the rest of his life behind bars...........Does the crime fit the punishment???? This is probably the best example of how one persons unethical behavior can affect so many people........I do believe that ethics is the most important asset in accounting. Period.
