Overview
Write a systematic, practical set of guidelines to ethical decision-making.
Outline
Identify an Ethical Role Model (or Exemplar) Who Inspires You.
Explain Your Ethical or Moral Principles.
Outline Your Ethical Process in Specific Steps
- Feminism first made its way into politics back in the early 1900’s and is being continued today by many, including famous actress and activist, Emma Watson. Emma Watson is most credible for her part in the famous Harry Potter movie series but after the final movie was created and released back in 2011, Emma showed the world a whole different side of her once she created the HeForShe campaign and spoke on the issue of feminism to the U.N. in fall of 2014. Her famous U.N. speech became most notable for telling the men of the world, “Feminism is your issue too.”
It was the first time that a feminist activist had to acknowledge the men and let them know that it was something that they needed to be fighting for alongside their mothers, sisters, wives, and female friends. The HeForShe campaign then changed their mission statement from moving woman towards feminism but to aim towards men who believe equality for women is a basic human right. Watson confronts the ethical issue of feminism almost every day and resolves it with a positive attitude, words of wisdom, and her fight with the HeForShe campaign.
- I grew up in a pretty religious family. Both my parents had converted to a religion at an older age and decided it was the best for our family to raise my two siblings and me. Because of this, I learned about God and the Devil and what it meant to be good to other people. It became easy to differentiate what was good and what was bad because all I had to ask myself is “what would God want me to do?” My core principles came from the teachings of the Ten Commandments.
Once I got older, I started to think for myself and realized that I could create my own principles and understandings of the Ten Commandments. One of the core principles I had learned growing up was how to be genuinely nice to people and to truly hope them the best in life. The religion that my parents had raised me in had different opinions than I did when it came to women and their roles in life. I believed that women were just as important as men and instead of viewing us as two individual species, but as one, equal.
My true ethical dilemma that I have to deal with today has to do with my original understanding of core principles that were literally written in stone and my own growth and understanding on what makes me happy. By disagreeing with my parents, am I breaking the oath I made at a young age to “honor thy father and thy mother?” or am I following my own ethical ideas on what will bring true happiness to the world?
- It’s a common phrase when someone tells you “your gut feeling is always right.” When I’m faced with an ethical decision, I almost always lean towards my gut feeling. An example that I’ve recently been faced with has to do with the issue of equality in society today. Recently the Mormon Church came out with a statement saying that children of gay or lesbian parents cannot be baptized into the Mormon Church. Since this is the church that I was raised in should I agree with them? Or should I stand up for my younger brother who happens to be in a gay relationship? Here is a step-by-step process by how I usually handle these ethical decisions.
- Research- sometimes things are not what they seem. Before I jump to conclusions on what I should be doing, It’s a good idea to look into the subject and find out if what is being said is actual fact.
- Go with your gut- an ethical decision is only a decision because we make it. It’s important to create your own ideas and understandings without following blindly. If my gut tells me that something is wrong even though my family thinks it’s right, I’m going to believe that it’s wrong.
- Take the high road- unless someone asks; keep your ideas and opinions to yourself. The ethical thing is to always keep others safe and happy. If your opinion is going to hurt someone, then don’t voice it, especially on social media.
An ethical decision can always be easily made if we only listen to ourselves and not others. Becoming a leader of your own ideas and thoughts can be difficult, but once we understand a situation, it can be an easy decision.