Expect unethical influence where you don't expect them

Expect Unethical Influence Where You Don’t Expect Them

Mauricio Magallanes Jr
EMAIL: m_magallanes_ jr@hotmail.com

San Diego State University
(Imperial Valley Campus)

C J 305

Ethics is a subject that can be open to interpretation by many different people depending on their culture and personal belief. In a work place, ethics are outlined or should be outlined in a company memorandumor policy book, the same rule applies to academic institutions. However, when no such document is present, a person should conduct themselves as a professional regardless if he an employee or a student. A simple act that can be done by every human being that unfortunately is taken for granted and or otherwise exercised. Decisions that involve ethics are taken every day throughout the course ofour lives. It is for that reason that everything we do, see, or think can influence our lives, especially in our careers or in our studies. It is my opinion that almost every factor that makes an attempt to influence our way of life or thought can be questioned and the only person to blame is humanity in general. Humans are the only species that will go to extreme measures to acquire more ofwhat it wants at the expense of decency. An example of this can be seen in many movies that portray a corrupt police officer in New York or a greedy lawyer that all he cares about is winning cases regardless if the truth is found or if justice is served. Inappropriate, illegal, and unethical behavior can be seen in almost every career path one takes whether it is career student, the US ArmedForces, or Law enforcement.

Every student in a post high school education institution is made aware of the rules and expectations of a class on the first day and it is outlined in the course syllabus. One of the rules that most if not all institutions have a zero tolerance on is plagiarism. However, that does not stop students from trying their hardest to get away with it. In a recent radio reportby KPBS, a person was asked why he thought that students didn’t care to put their academics on the line for such acts, and his response was because they see it every day with some professor or higher educated figures. The fact that professors get caught doing it and only get a slap on the wrist as a punishment doesn’t deter students from doing it themselves. When a student is taking anexamination the instructor almost always say no talking and turn off your cell phone or don’t use them. That doesn’t stop many students from looking down at their laps were their cell phone is located to text their fellow classmates for the answers. When a student spends all night studying for the same exam that another student cheat on and they both get a passing score that is what influences somestudent not to try hard and do the wrong thing. If everyone else is doing it and getting away with it why can’t I. That is, or could be the start of an unethical influence that can progress into an unethical career. Although, some people might see it as unimportant because it was only one time or because it was an unimportant class such as an elective for their major it is still unethical.

Inthe recent years it has been a difficult time in which ethics has played an important part in what this country has been through, from going to war over the attacks of the twin towers in 2001 to the possible weapons of mass destruction (WMD)in Iraq. From a stand point of ethical influence on war, war propaganda makes young soldiers believe that the enemy is everywhere and that they should not trustanyone in the battle field. Although it is a fact that no one can be trusted in the heat of battle in the modern battlefield there is no doubt that military leadership make the enemy sound like evil people. When, the actual reality is that that “enemy” is a soldier just like ours. His command is telling him the same information about us so therefore they both hate each other because they were...