How are personal ethics different from the rule laid down by society through it's laws?

Each of us has a personal ethic, a code by which we live our lives. Much of the code is educated to us by our parents, primarily by example. The code is also subjective by our religious upbringing and the people with whom we select to comrade.

A personal ethic is different from the rules laid down by the society through its laws. As a society, we have determined that it is wrong to harm another human being or even steal his or her property. Most personal ethic includes these societal rules. But some do not. Criminals have personal ethics that let them to regularly break laws that destruct people and their property.

Even though not criminals, many of us pick and select certain laws that we will or will not obey. A good example is our speed limit laws. Highways have stated speed limits to defend people from being injured or killed. Yet, drive down any one of those highways and you will see people driving well over those limits. Their personal ethics let them break such a rule, and indeed suffer any consequences, whether to themselves or other people and property. Others of us have personal ethics that exceed those laid down by society. 

Societal laws and regulations are what we have decided as a group are slightly tolerable behavior. But individuals may choose to strive for a higher standard. How we treat other people, our homes and the environment are often governed by higher standards than those laid down by society

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