At the Sturgis motorcycle rally, in 2013, Robbie Knievel, son of famed motorcycle stunt-man Evel Knievel and accomplished stunt-man in his own right, was busted for drunk driving. Completely unapologetic, he raved (in what I can only assume was a drunken tirade) that, “I ride motorcycles, and I drink. I’m a frickin drinkin, drivin daredevil. I jump motorcycles, I ride motorcycles and I frickin drink and ride. That’s my deal.”

There were no takers on the deal he was offering.

There is nothing unethical about drinking, and there is nothing unethical about being drunk. But drunkenness does not excuse anyone from their responsibility to be good, no matter how famous they may be. If you break the golden rule while drunk, you become an outlaw from it just the same, and must face the consequences of such dereliction whether drunk or sober.

Drunk driving Robbie Knievel just caused a four-vehicle pile-up last week, slamming into a line of vehicles with his SUV.

Fortunately, this is one of those instances where the law matches the basics of ethics. For having broken rules 2.1 and 2.2, Robbie is already spending time behind bars and faces fines as well.

Fame will not excuse you from being fundamentally ethical, and neither will making a poor grasp of ethics part of your identity. Is that just “who you are;” is that “what you do?” Well, stop doing and being that. You can choose better for yourself… so do it.

That’s my deal.