3.00 Intro to Ethics

           What does it mean to be ethical? The Oxford Dictionary describes it as “morally good or correct”. Basically, an ethical person is someone who does the right thing. I wholeheartedly agree with this definition because in my opinion, someone who is ethical is not only fair and makes good decisions, but also does what’s necessary to keep those around them (as well as themselves) safe. I believe that although many people make unintelligent decisions and mistakes every day, the majority know the difference between right and wrong, and aren't heartless. An example of an ethical person is someone who might help out a friend who’s in a tough spot, or pick up trash from off the street when they know it doesn't belong there. An ethical person does what’s right not because they have to, but because it’s better for everyone. They're morally aware, and know how to judge a situation and think for themselves, “Should I do this? Is it going to harm someone, or help them?”

           Based on my description of an ethical person, I believe that the right thing to do in the example presented within the lesson would be to tell the parents. When your friend gives a stranger their home address, they are not only putting themselves in danger, but putting everyone else in the household in danger as well. If a person confronted in that situation doesn't aware the adults, a serious crime could take place in the home due to an unknown person knowing their whereabouts and other personal information. An ethical person would know that the best thing to do would be to inform the parents. A person does not have to go along with everyone’s wishes or be the best secret-keeper to be ethical. It is better to be safe than sorry, and a person’s life is more important than how they feel about you. If a friend is truly a friend, they'll thank you one day for telling someone.

          Ethics has to be one of the most important parts of journalism aside from pulling out information. What good is a story if it’s all a bunch of lies? An ethical journalist is fair to the public, reliable, and works hard for correct information. The entire company must be ethical as well, or else not one journalist will be trusted. A news company that lies to their readers, listeners, or viewers and gives them unfair, biased reports won’t receive as many readers/listeners/viewers as organizations that give the truth, and nothing but the truth. Without ethical journalism, the way we look at our news would be the same way many people look at undefined, blurry pictures of “bigfoot”.