Better to look good(be socially acceptable) or to be good(be ethically right)?

Morality is defined by what is socially acceptable regardless of whether or not people get hurt or the consequences. If society decided tomorrow that sacrificing babies was right, and everyone who did not sacrifice babies would receive the death penalty, sacrificing babies would become morally right, legally right, etc. This results in your behavior looking good.

Ethics on the other hand is defined by what is in your self interest, so it might be against the law to do what is ethical, or it might be against what is socially acceptable or against social norms. This results in your behavior looking bad regardless of the consequences or harm your behavior causes.

My question:

1. Is it better to look good (always do what is socially acceptable, legal, regardless of the consequences). or

2. Is it better to look bad (always do what is ethically right, even when it's socially unacceptable and illegal).


When I think about this question I think about the consequences of all decisions. Sometimes you can break social norms or laws because the legal consequences aren't such a big deal. You might get fined, a slap on the wrist, etc. In other situations if you break the law the consequences are life altering, you can go to prison, you can get killed, beat up, etc.

So what determines human behavior and what is more important to the individual within society in the end? To look good and make the necessary sacrifices to maintain appearances at all costs? Or to look bad but always remain ethical, which may require sacrificing appearance to achieve the ends?