Doing one 's duty . Immanuel Kant believed that people should conduct their lives according to universal moral law. Whether or not institutional rules compel us to act in a certain way we should do what is right- regardless of the likelihood of getting caught or punished Kant’s principles were based on a belief that duty comes from an internal commitment to right action , not from a legalistic interpretation of explicit rules. Those who follow Kant’s advice would make similar choices , regardless of whether are working for traditional news organizations or freelancing for niche blogs.