We recently discussed an ethical situation where a company was practicing egoism and asking an intern to "spin" the truth. We all came out with the same responses that she should quit and realize what this type of internship could possibly do to her future. The situation was pretty easy to figure out using the Potter's Box but after class I started to think about the situation more.
It's really easy to sit back and read about someone else's situations and know exactly what they need to do to fix them. It's not so easy when it is us, instead, going through the situation. The struggle is a lot more difficult when your apart of it then when you're looking in from the outside. I felt like this with our case study.
It was easy for me to say what the intern should have done but I know that, if I was truly in her situation, it wouldn't have been an easy decision. This is where the Potter Box comes in handy. When we are faced with situations that truly test our moral and ethical codes, this system has a way of making you see the bigger picture. I wouldn't necessarily use this formula on all my ethical situations because I know my values, loyalties and principles pretty well. When it comes to unfamiliar situations in business though, I can see a real need for this type of system. Making us write down the situation and who might be affected allows us to see what the consequences of our actions might end up being.
Overall, I enjoyed the case study because it made me understand a little more why Journalism students need to take an ethics class. We can all say that we would never go against our own values and beliefs but sometimes circumstances arise that will challenge everything we believe in.
"Even the most rational approach to ethics is defenseless if there isn't the will to do what is right" -Alexander Solzhenitsyn
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