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The trees in the
forest
That’s My Opinion
By Bob Robinson
As I have noted on occasion, I’m an adjunct instructor at Edison
Community College. One of the courses I teach is Technical Writing… and
one of the topics of that course is ethics.
Ethics in technical writing? While that may seem like a strange
marriage, it isn’t. The unit is entitled Ethics & Responsibility,
and like any other field of study it has rules of behavior and
standards that are required of the profession.
While the responsibility portion of the unit is ‘cut and dried,’ the
ethics portion is a lesson in definition. Are ethics defined by the
society in which one lives, the individual’s group or community, or –
as is often the case – by the individual?
A former student of mine recently wrote something that should be a
lesson to all of us. He was a tutor as part of his later learning
experience. I think you’ll find what he had to say as interesting as I
did.
“Ethical decision-making is in everyone,” he wrote. “How we choose to
interpret and act upon it is up to us. The ethical decision-making that
I have personally encountered was more than I had originally
anticipated. The ethical standards that I had set for myself were
tested to the limits. Are my standards set too high?
“The way in which people approach you for help is widely different.
Some approach you in the manner of ‘here, do this for me!’ Those are
the ones you can be frank with and explain that ‘I can’t do it for you
but we can figure it out together.’
“The others try to sway you into their line of thinking. They become a
manipulator of emotions, a thief of integrity or just plainly a sheep
in wolves clothing. Both sides of the equation are equally draining;
they will suck the life out of you if you let them.
“The classic ethical challenge that I remember was when I was
administering a test read for someone. He completed the test, looked me
in the face and said ‘are these answers right?’ I had to catch myself
from saying the first thought that entered my mind… I replied ‘I can’t
tell you that; if I did then I would have to put my name on the test.’
“The other one that comes to mind is when I was working with another
student. He would ask a question, I would help him through a sticking
point and ask him to continue working on the problem. I would leave for
10 minutes or so and come back. He said ‘I’m stuck again, I don’t
understand this part.’
“It was exactly where we had left off 10 minutes ago. He was more
interested in me doing it for him than him just learning how to do it
for himself. I said ‘knowledge is power; once you have it no one can
take it away from you.’
“The one that bothers me most has nothing to do with my ethical
decision-making, but someone else’s ethical decision-making, or lack
thereof. I had brought my notes in for reference material. The folder
was stocked with all the goodies: notes, quizzes and so on. I left it
out by accident between classes. I thought it would be fine. When I
returned the folder was there but the goodies were gone. I put an ‘All
Points Bulletin’ out on the material. It showed up unannounced a few
days later, rearranged. I figure it had been copied.
“I notified the professors involved, but haven’t heard anything about
the missing material being used. There isn’t a day that goes by that I
don’t think about it!
“The main problem that I have with others and their ethical
decision-making is the way they believe that their way is the only
correct way of doing something. If they believe that going into a store
and eating a piece of fruit, a wrapped piece of candy isn’t stealing…
how do you explain to them that this is the same as stealing a hundred
dollars. If you take one thing that doesn’t belong to you then you’re
stealing.
“All decisions are ethical. Is it ‘right or wrong?’ It seems to be a
simple question. ‘Does a tree in a forest make a noise when it falls?’
Why yes it does! The outcome isn’t that simple though. Just because
what is ethical to me doesn’t mean it’s ethical for someone else. That
is the slippery slope of ethics.
“I try not to waiver from my ethics but I can’t predict what’s around
the corner. I would just be kidding myself if I thought that I would be
as pure as a mountain stream, just because I can’t predict every
situation that I will be placed in and what could or would be at stake.”
This student has only faced the first of many harsh realities in his
ethical journey. Frankly, I think he’ll be fine.
My concern is for those he wrote about and the unknown others who
believe there are shortcuts to success. The trees in the forest. What
about their future?
Our society is currently struggling with the values it is willing to
accept. The outcome of that struggle will impact the values of
generations to come.
Whether we hear them or not, trees are falling. Do we finally decide to
deal seriously with them or do we choose to ignore what we don’t want
to hear?
That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
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