Transparency: A Moral Concept

We argue that the concept of transparency is part of the “positivity mindset” which can be seen as a feature of the infusion of capitalism within the social fabric and has become enmeshed as a pervasive force in modern society. The notion of capitalism has emerged as a virtuous system of rules finely tuned to produce beneficial societal outcomes, with the notion of transparency understood as overtly positive, and the more of it, the better. The idea of transparency as a social norm is explained and its perverse effects on corporate accountability and true morally responsible corporate behaviour are critiqued. Philosophical arguments regarding morality and ethical values underpin our position by examining conditions of narcissism and questioning the idea that moral goodness equates with truth. Philosophy also offers the possibility of alternative approaches to the blind conformity associated with following, uncritically, the social (dominant) norms, such as transparency, that are externally imposed.