A634.6.3.RB_MedleyKim_A Little Patience

A Little Patience

            Perhaps it is somewhat fitting and proper to end the week with a reflective opportunity that provides for a bit of soul searching and a deeper understanding of a theory that “vanished from formal ethical discussion for more than a hundred years”, one referred to by LaFollette (2007) as the virtue theory. As the week draws to a close, group work has all but wrapped up; and, the emotions generated lead this writer to fondly recall the words, “Said woman take it slow, It’ll work itself out fine, All we need is just a little patience …”, performed and posted by GunsNRosesLive88 (2011). 

According to Hoch, Kunreuther, and Gunther (2001), “People like to end on a high note” and “some people schedule their least favorite activities early in the day to obtain a positive contrast effect with those activities they do enjoy” (p. 69). Without realizing it, that is exactly what I had done as I began today’s lessons.

            I quite enjoy reflective exercises, particularly those that allow me to write and be expressive. Blending the writings of others and editing are somewhat less enjoyable tasks for me; so, I purposely decided to review and edit a group assignment and save what I consider the best assignment for last. Aristotle proffered one who is virtuous must: do the right thing, do it regularly, enjoy doing it, know the action is virtuous, and understand why the act is virtuous (as cited in LaFollette, 2007). A quiz, presented by Twin Cities Public Television (TCPT) (2002a), offers twelve questions; and, based on responses, one can determine how one measures up to Ben Franklin and his espoused virtues. Based on the virtues listed by Twin Cities Public Television (2002b): temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility, the results of my quiz “closely reflected Ben’s own self-improvement plan” (TCPT, 2002a; TCPT, 2002b). Because I had elected to concentrate on the group project early in the day, the day’s unfolding events allowed me to practice justice, sincerity, and the virtue the quiz recommended I consider, tranquility (TCPT, 2002b).

            Justice encourages us to “wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty”, sincerity warns that if we speak, to “speak accordingly”, and tranquility teaches us to consider that which is “REALLY important” and not to “sweat the small stuff” (TCPT, 2002b). Given my self-admitted propensity for perfection, it is extremely difficult to bite my tongue, give my all when at times others appear to not appreciate it, and to not “sweat the small stuff”; yet, I pressed on regardless and am now able to learn from the day and improve on the virtues needed (TCPT, 2002b). Taking a page from Greek philosophy, the function of a team is to complete a range of tasks so that in the end a final goal is accomplished together. An excellent team is one that fulfills this function and this fulfillment is the team’s virtue (LaFollette, 2007). Would justice have been served had my frustration gotten the better of me to the point I omitted benefits to the team that are my duty as a member of the team? What if any of my text replies had been sent in all capital letters? Would that be speaking accordingly? I think texting is a good way to slow down, bite the tongue a bit, and ask how my grandmother would react or consider what she would say if she read the text. Admittedly, remaining calm and not allowing little things to trouble me is a virtue that requires a bit more practice and inculcation. The virtue not listed on Ben’s list is perhaps the one I rely upon the most and is the one that allows me to practice the others.

            I have been told since I was young that patience is a virtue. I have repeated this epiphany to each of my children, and now I hear them repeating it to their children. My strongest virtues are those of order, a place for everything and everything in its place, frugality, waste not want not, and cleanliness (TCPT, 2002b). Just as Hoch et al. (2001) state “not all variety is created equal”, not all virtues carry the same weight and perhaps this is why little things present a challenge to someone who thrives on order, thriftiness, and keeping things clean. For me, a perfect grade is an attainable goal and when I perceive the acts of others may prevent me from achieving that goal, then tranquility and sincere speech tend to require much more practice. LaFollette (2007) concludes the “virtue theorist is right that we should pay special attention to our own actions since these are most within our control” (p. 223). It never hurts to admit I may need a little more practice; and, as I end, “a little patience” (GunsNRosesLive88, 2011).

References

GunsNRosesLive88. (2011, Sept. 23). Guns N’ Roses – Patience – HD (720p) Live American

            Music Awards 1989. [Video file]. Retrieved from

            https://youtu.be/njCUxuxjR1M

Hoch, S.J., Kunreuther, H.C., & Gunther, R.E. (2001). Wharton on Making Decisions.

            Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Twin Cities Public Television. (2002a). Ben Franklin Virtue Quiz. PBS.org. Retrieved

            from http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/exp_virtue.html

Twin Cities Public Television. (2002b). Ben’s 13 Virtues. PBS.org. Retrieved from

            http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/pop_virtues_list.html

A632.2.3.RB_MedleyKim_Choices, Choices, Everywhere…

Choices, Choices, Everywhere…

            Not once have I stopped to consider the total number of decisions I make on a daily or weekly basis. Although I take many quizzes during the course of completing degree work, the vast majority of those tests do not formally test my decision making style; yet, perhaps in some manner they do. A quiz, offered by ChopraCenter (2012) and based on eight simple questions, provides the student with insight as to his or her decision-making style. These questions focus on choices that require time spent researching, choices that make us fret, choices that are second guessed, choices that freeze our ability to decide, choices that make us procrastinate, choices made by emotional input alone, choices that others will question, choices that avoid risk, and choices repeated in incorrect ways (ChopraCenter, 2012). The results of my quiz summarize a mastery level of decision making capabilities. According to the quiz, I am able to make decisions “without agonizing over difficult choices or choosing impulsively” (ChopraCenter, 2012). With all of the choices presented on a daily basis, how does one achieve this level?

            I have often heard variety is the spice of life. As Hoch, Kunreuther, and Gunther (2001) observe folks like to frequently change their consumption patterns; and, this propensity for change leads to many decision making processes by managers and others that not only allow for the variety; but, provide a mechanism whereby the decision maker does not make “suboptimal” choices simply for the sake of variety” (p. 65). The reasons why variety is sought includes relieving boredom, assuring consumers “get everything they need” by choosing more than one option, and trying various options helps us learn to adapt to a changing environment (Hoch et al., 2001, p. 67). Hoch et al. (2001) consider the added costs that come with offering more variety. They, along with Sheena Iyengar, as evidenced by her presentation at TEDSalonNY2011 (2011), also understand consumers can become “frustrated or confused” by that which Iyengar terms as “choice overload problem” (Hoch et al., 2001, p. 65). In his presentation before TEDGlobal (2005), Dan Gilbert explains we experience difficulties in making good decisions as we have trouble with estimating odds and values. Based on Iyengar’s research, it is the model of multiple choices that causes the overload; and, perhaps this partly explains our difficulty with calculating odds and values (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). Iyengar also reports the results of a study she conducted which indicate half of the numerous decisions mangers make are completed within nine minutes or less and only twelve percent of decisions required one hour or more (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). Choice overload can lead to a delay in choosing, poorer choices, and choices that leave us less satisfied (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). Fortunately, there are four tools decision makers can become aware of and use in order to improve their decision making process and ultimately their choices.

            Iyengar outlines the importance of the four Cs in overcoming choice overload (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). Cut, which follows the principle “less is more”, can result in increased sales, reduced costs, and an improvement of the choosing experience (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). Concretization helps a consumer to understand the consequences of choices in a vivid and concrete manner. Categorization helps us tell choices apart and we have the ability to process more categories than choices. The final “C”, conditioning for complexity, starts consumers off with fewer choices and gradually increases the number of choices so that consumers can learn to choose, not become overloaded, and avoid the negative consequences of choosing for the sake of choosing (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). According to Iyengar, the average person makes 70 choices a day, 25,550 choices annually (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). If I begin my adult decision-making process at age eighteen, then I have made at least 945,350 choices. Of the four methodologies discussed by Iyengar, I have benefited from and improved my decision making style by incorporating cut and categorization.

            I well remember having only three, sometimes four, television channels from which to choose. We did not pay to receive the channels. A well-positioned television antenna that sometimes needed to be turned provided many memorable nights of quality television programs. The excitement and choices that came with the introduction of cable television was incredible; given we now had to pay for television programming; and, at first, the variety was welcomed. Instead of a television with a manual channel selection knob, a sleek white box with a sliding channel selector, that ran the gambit from 2 to 42, sat atop the television and opened the windows to a plethora of viewing choices. Unfortunately, as Hoch et al. (2001) note, the special programming offered by HBO lost its appeal of variety as airings became redundant and something once considered special simply became regular. The next choice was that of either satellite or enhanced cable through options like AT&T U-verse. As the choices, delivery options, and resolutions increased; so, too did the cost. As Iyengar predicts, at least in my experience, my engagement and satisfaction with television programming have decreased and many times I simply select a channel for the sake of having background noise for studying (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). At one time, I had over five hundred channels. Today, I have the lowest package offered; and, even then I find myself scrolling down the channel guide in search of quality programs. Today, it seems as if there are more info stations than regular viewing stations and more often than not re-runs fill the airwaves. Rather than become frustrated, I quickly scan my favorite stations and choose a program from that list. It saves me time. I do not second guess. I do not fret. I am not paralyzed as I can find something to watch. There are not questions from others and even if I choose a re-run, at least the decision is a good one. The second “C” I use on a consistent basis is categorization.

            As Hoch et al. (2001) state, it is crucial for decision makers to easily find the choice that best suits their need. Categorization, as explained by Iyengar, helps the chooser to distinguish among the vast array of choices (TEDSalonNY2011, 2011). One of my favorite stores is the Goodwill Store. There are many choices; however, the simple categories of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing further categorized by blouses, pants, skirts, dresses, jeans, and separated by colors and sizes help me to focus on the particular article of clothing I might be seeking. This also saves me time as I do not have waste time looking at each tag, nor, do I waste time by looking for a blouse in the skirt aisle. Since the clothes hanging on the racks are all Goodwill has in stock, I do not fret about a size or color not being available. Rarely does anyone know if I am wearing clothing from Goodwill, so the need to worry about what others will say or think is drastically reduced. The variety is amazing; and, the best part of this decision making process is I realize savings while re-purposing clothing.

            Iyengar’s four Cs fit nicely with my decision making style; however, neither the style nor the techniques are acquired overnight. Decision making, like any skill, requires practice and that comes with making more decisions. The more we practice our craft, the less we agonize or choose impulsively. We soon learn that fewer channels were much easier to navigate from and select a quality program. We also recognize that designer labels can be had for fractions of the cost by focusing our decisions in a categorized manner. “Variety truly is the spice-of-life”; but, choices, choices, everywhere do not need to lead to choice overload (Hoch et al., 2001, p. 76).

References

ChopraCenter. (2012). Is Your Decision-Making Style Holding You Back? Quibblo

            Adknowledge EN, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/bywpzuF/Is-Your-     Decision-Making-Style-Holding-You-Back

Hoch, S.J., Kunreuther, H.C., & Gunther, R.E. (2001). Wharton on Making Decisions.

            Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

TEDGlobal. (2005). Dan Gilbert: Why we make bad decisions. [Video file]. Retrieved from

            http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness#t-1480

TEDSalonNY2011. (2011, Nov.). Sheena Iyengar: How to make choosing easier. [Video file].

            Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/sheena_iyengar_choosing_what_to_choose

A632.1.4.RB_MedleyKim_In the Flow

In the Flow

            Dan Gilbert, during a presentation before TEDGlobal (2005), states humans find difficulty in applying Bernoulli’s gift, “How To Do Exactly the Right Thing at All Possible Times”, as we are prone to make mistakes with both estimating odds and value. Hoch, Kunreuther, and Gunther (2001) observe that once odds and values are known, a straightforward, mathematical approach, known as “dynamic processing”, can be applied to know the expected value of decisions made (p. 42). Unfortunately, as Hoch et al. (2001) note, “total utility or value in not always so linear”; and, because of this, humans more often than not rely on past experiences, past solutions, and emotions when making decisions about new problems (p. 43). Suppose a student was faced with the decision of accepting a scholarship award and having it applied to a course taken during a normal semester whereby the student loan award would be reduced by the scholarship award, or, taking an additional course, outside of the normal semesters, so the student could realize a disbursement as a result of the balance remaining between the scholarship award and the total tuition. What would be the optimal decision?

            By looking at the formula presented by Hoch et al. (2001) “” wherein “V” is the value gained by either the potential reduction in student loan or the instant gratification of a disbursement of $200.00; in all probability, the decision that should have been made would be that of applying the scholarship award to a course offered during January, March, August, or October, standard semesters rather than taking on an additional course only to realize a relatively small return (p. 41). Gilbert quickly and correctly points out the flaw when the decision that should have been chosen is not; it is an error in value (TEDGlobal, 2005).

            Having forgotten that which Krogerus and Tschäppeler (2012) term as “The Flow Model”, that which makes us happy, this student cast aside the more relaxed environment of working towards a Master’s degree, one course, one semester at a time in favor of picking up another course and receiving a $200 disbursement (p. 46). Using Brodie’s (2007) steps, I defined the problem, considered the implications of my decision, looked at different viewpoints, invited feedback from others, understood what I wanted to achieve, weighed pros and cons, and finally pulled the trigger and acted. Taking another course, while half-way finished with the October semester course brings me one class closer to completing my degree work and I am reimbursed for the difference in tuition and scholarship award. Some may see this as a relatively small reward given the added workload that will come with two courses; however, happiness, as defined by Csikszentmihalyi, “occurs when we are: intensely focused on an activity of our own choosing, that is neither under-challenging (boreout) nor over-challenging (burnout), that has a clear objective, and that receives immediate feedback” (Krogerus & Tschäppeler, 2012, p. 46). I did not agonize over the decision neither did I make the decision just for the sake of getting it done. I looked at what my future holds, a run for political office, and realized I may have to set aside my scholastic goals next year in order to attend events and run an effective campaign. By adding to my school schedule now, even if it means my calm environment is disturbed for a few weeks, I will not have lost any ground in pursuit of my Master’s degree. As Csikszentmihalyi notes, those “in the flow… lose track of time and forget themselves completely because they are so immersed in what they are doing” (Krogerus & Tschäppeler, 2012, p. 46). Here’s to becoming immersed “in the flow” (Krogerus & Tschäppeler, 2012, p. 46).

References

Brodie, D. (2007, Nov. 5). 6 Steps to Better Decision Making. Ezinearticles.com. Retrieved

            from http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Steps-to-Better-Decision-Making&id=817450

Hoch, S.J., Kunreuther, H.C., & Gunther, R.E. (2001). Wharton on Making Decisions.

            Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Krogerus, M., & Tschäppeler, R. (2012). The Decision Book: 50 Models for Strategic

            Thinking. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

TEDGlobal. (2005). Dan Gilbert: Why we make bad decisions. [Video file]. Retrieved from

            http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness#t-1480

A634.5.4.RB_MedleyKim_ PF Flyers: I Didn’t Jump Higher or Run Faster

PF Flyers:

I Didn’t Jump Higher or Run Faster

            I remember the commercial as if it was yesterday, Johnny Quest racing against time to save “Race Bannon” from the lava flowing jaws of an exploding volcano, and almost certain death (TV Toy Memories, 2013). Thanks to the technology of the day, a flashing decoder ring, and the design genius of “B.F. Goodrich”, Johnny is able to grab a rope, “run like the wind”, and jump as high as an antelope in order to execute a miraculous save (TV Toy Memories, 2013). It was one of my most favorite Saturday morning cartoons and like many six year old girls, I had to have my own PF Flyers; and, of course, flashing decoder ring. PF Flyers were the Reeboks and Nikes of my childhood. I remember pleading in earnest with my mother until the day came she took me shopping for my very own PF Flyers. Finally! My wants, and at the time, my needs, to own a pair of “action shoes” complete with an “action wedge – built right in” had been successfully fulfilled by the marketing team at B.F. Goodrich (TV Toy Memories, 2013). Did I run faster, jump higher? Sadly, no; but, I never forgot my PF Flyers.

            El Sayed and El Ghazaly (n.d.) observe that marketing revolves “around a powerful entity… “the customer””. Marketing is the tool used to determine customers’ wants and needs and then provide the services and products to quell and keep customers satisfied. If marketing is but one tool in a corporation’s tool box; then can we not view this tool as any other tool found in a tool box? A hammer is a tool, is it evil? A knife in a kitchen drawer is a tool, is it evil? A piano wire, when struck provides melodious music, is it evil? If the hammer is grabbed and used to repeatedly strike a person in the head, is the hammer held up as evil, or is it the person holding; and, thereby swinging the hammer who is evil? Similar arguments lead us to ask if the person who does the stabbing, or the mob boss who strangles with a piano wire is the evil one, and not the tool of choice. Perhaps the question to consider should be, “Is the marketer evil”?

            LaFollette (2007) contends a conversation about morality must include “everyday ethics: the ways in which we talk, listen, treat, behave with and around our friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and brief acquaintances” (p. 199). “Unless I care about others, I will not standardly act morally” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 201). Is this the key to ethical marketing? Does the marketer need to care about the person(s) to whom a product or service is being marketed? When prompted to respond to a blip about his blog, Godin (2009) asks, “Are marketers evil?” and answers “some of them”. Is it evil to market housing deals and mortgage rates to those who will wind up in foreclosure (Godin, 2009)? Is it evil to portray a cartoon character as cool simply because he smokes cigarettes and target kids for smoking (Godin, 2009)? If advertising to plus size women makes “obesity acceptable” is that marketing ploy evil (Godin, 2009)? As with any tool, the effect “comes from the craftsman, not the tool” (Godin, 2009). According to Godin (2009), more marketing and its influence can be attained with fewer dollars. With more impact available for less, what do marketers do, or what should they do with the equivalent of a faster, more powerful tool (Godin, 2009)?

            As outlined by Marketing-Schools (2012), the problem and relationship presented by doing what’s right and making a profit “has been studied… with little consensus reached”. As they continue, they note unethical marketing can be “just as effective as it is unethical”; yet, “unethical behavior is not necessarily against the law”. Look at the diet pill industry. Sneaky business models continue to result in thriving businesses (Marketing-Schools, 2012). Dove soap attempted ethical marketing when they launched their “real” models campaign which featured “realistic body images” and was meant to help girls embrace how their bodies looked; however, they did not maintain this approach and reverted back to using supermodels whose images were enhanced to “hide imperfections” (Marketing-Schools, 2012). Is this evil? Do consumers have an obligation to become knowledgeable of “relevant facts” in order to “make the appropriate moral decision” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 200)? Did Dove market its soap as a way to achieve a body style or as a way to clean the body?

            Godin (2009) notes the good side of marketing helped people to decide to “get a polio vaccine” or understand the need to wash hands before returning to tasks such as surgery or serving food. El Sayed and El Ghazaly (n.d.) point out marketing tools “have been used to achieve morally dubious ends by businesses”. Again, is it the tool, marketing, or the marketer that performs the act regarded as good or evil? Marketing-Schools (2012) suggest “a delicate balance” between the truth and the persuasion of the customer is needed. If due consideration of the company, its markets, and its clients is given; and if profits can be maintained; then companies can take advantage of the advantages from ethical marketing (Marketing-Schools, 2012). Improving one’s public image and reputation is a great way to connect with customers and promote social responsibility and is often used as a way to separate a company from its competition. Whole Foods Market and The Body Shop are two such examples wherein the “marketer and consumer are both aware of what’s happening and are both satisfied with the ultimate outcome” (Godin, 2009).

            Was it evil to take the camel from Camel’s cigarettes, make him “Joe Camel” and cool and specifically target kids, especially when they knew of the dangers associated with smoking? Yes. Are all marketing pronouncements this simple? No. “Ethics resides in a gray area with many fine lines and shifting boundaries” (Marketing-Schools, 2012). Is it ethical to track my buying habits or is that taking advantage of a faster, more powerful marketing tool? If used in a way that demonstrates care for others, knowledge of how such actions affects others, understanding of how others will behave, and an understanding of morally relevant facts; and, if all of those variables produce positive results; then tracking my buying habits or learning which websites I frequent is not evil. If; however, such actions take on stalker behavior or qualities, then a line is crossed and a consumer would do well to avoid business with such a company. For me, the guiding light to ethical marketing is that of caring for others and the Golden Rule. As Godin (2009) notes just because I have a fast, powerful marketing tool doesn’t mean I need to use it a full throttle. Treating others the way I would want to be treated as a customer is how I view ethical aspects of marketing. LaFollette (2007) concludes, "The primary aim of moral thinking is to help us be less cruel, more caring, fairer, and more just - in short, to make this a morally better world" (p. 208). Sounds like a good rule of thumb when considering marketing decisions. Was B.F. Goodrich evil to market PF Flyers and the flashing decoder ring to a young sixth grader who waited with anticipation, each Saturday morning, to watch Johnny Quest? No, of course not. I never was a fast runner, or someone who could jump high.

References

El Sayed, H., & El Ghazaly, I. (n.d.). Is Marketing Evil? Marketing Viewed as a tool.

            Ethics Based Marketing – German University in Cairo. Retrieved from

            http://www.ethicsbasedmarketing.net/2.html

Godin, S. (2009, Feb. 23). Is Marketing Evil? Typepad.com. Retrieved from

            http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/02/is-marketing-evil.html

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Marketing-Schools. (2012). Ethical Marketing. Marketing-Schools.org. Retrieved from

            http://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing.html

TV Toy Memories. (2013, July 4). Vintage Johnny Quest PF Flyer Commercial – Saving Race

            Bannon from Death Because of PF Flyers. [Video file]. Retrieved from

            https://youtu.be/vlHUzfzdeMI

A634.4.4.RB_MedleyKim_In a Word... Yes

In a Word… Yes

            Recalling LaFollette’s (2007) charge, the goal of ethics is to better the way by which folks live through an assimilation of knowledge from “history, psychology, sociology, and biology”; then, in a word, “Yes”, it is ethical (p. 1). Its history begins with Lincoln’s “Emancipation Proclamation” and is furthered with the promise of equal opportunity delivered on a bloody battlefield in Gettysburg. Like a carousel at the center of an amusement park, painted ponies saddled with actions from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government carry enumerated dos and don’ts that rise and fall with each passing generation while the attempts to find balance between who and what a person is alludes us all (Connerly, 2000).

            Lincoln’s Executive actions gave it life. The proposed and ratified actions of the Legislative branch, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution gave it room to grow; and, as offered by Abbott, Argersinger, Argersinger, Barney, Anderson, Goldfield and Weir (2011), led to many branches such as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. A few ten years, after the Executive and Legislative arms of the government attempted to right a wrong perpetuated for centuries, the Judicial Branch, as explained by Marlow and Rowland (1989) added its painted pony to the circling carousel and pruned its growth with this pronouncement by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Bradley:

            when a man has emerged from slavery, and by the aid of beneficial legislation has shaken

            off the inseparable concomitants of the state, there must be some stage in the progress of

            his elevation when he takes the rank of mere citizen, and ceases to be the special favorite

            of the law (p. 542).

This acclamation combined with withdrawal of armies from the South and further judicial ponies i.e., Plessy v. Ferguson (Plessy), took the founding principle, “all men are created equal”, and the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment, provided by McAdams, Neslund, and Neslund (2007), “equal protection of the laws” and twisted its branches as “separate but equal”, which led to decades of sanctioned actions that further harmed a group who had already suffered centuries of systemic abuse at the hands of another group (Marlow & Rowland, 1989, p. 542).

            Its re-birth began with a dream. Sixty years after the Plessy pony was added to the circular motion of the carousel; and, as noted by Loevy (1997), Brown v. Board of Education (Brown) caused the rising action of Plessy to fall and the carousel reversed with a new direction, “separate facilities were, by definition, unequal and, therefore, unconstitutional (as cited in Moreno, 2003, p. 16). Moreno (2003) states Kennedy’s Executive Order called for government services to volunteer to enact it. President Johnson attempted, through executive action, to speed up the carousel by mandating it (Moreno, 2003). Marlow and Rowland (1989) and Moreno (2003) observe it quickly turned from an attempt to once again address equal opportunity to a way to realize equal outcomes and pay for discrimination of the past. Perhaps this is the point from which further arguments against it gained traction. Rather than seeking to address “ancient wrongs” in a manner commensurate with the length of time that had elapsed from the time the wrong began to its end, society sought immediate actions to assuage its own guilt (LaFollette, 2007, p. 89). From Reconstruction to the present, it has invoked battles that have entangled every branch of government; and, with each rise and fall of painted ponies, firmly affixed to a carousel spinning in a circle, the ethics of it have been viewed from each side.

            LaFollette (2007) provides “we should treat all people the same unless there is some general and relevant difference between them that justifies a difference in treatment” (p. 75). With the exception of indentured servants, who had the ability to choose to come to America and work for a pre-determined number of years to pay off the debt and secure freedom, the mistreatment of black slaves was inescapable and resulted in unbearable work hours and circumstances, unhealthy and insufficient living quarters, verbal abuse, physical abuse, mental anguish from family separations, and a host of other consequences for which we may never fully appreciated the implications (LaFollette, 2007). Those who argue it seeks to correct the sins of the past by now wronging the group responsible for such sins either overlook or simply do not acknowledge the centuries of abuse suffered by and that harmed an entire group of people (LaFollette, 2007). Further, the simplistic notion of “two wrongs, do not make a right” ignores the very tenets that must be considered when practicing ethics (LaFollette, 2007, p. 88). Opponents further contend “those who suffered and those who perpetrated the most egregious harms (slavery) are long since dead” and since “blacks have had sufficient opportunity to overcome any lingering effects of slavery and Jim Crow”, their children should not have to continue to pay for the wrongs of the past (LaFollette, 2007, p. 90). Voices raised against it believe it keeps those who deserve jobs or college placement out while rewarding those less qualified (LaFollette, 2007). None of these positions advise if it is justified, merely, voices against it are not convincing.

            Those who support it, admit it favors black; however, not because of the color of their skin, rather because of the systematic victimization of an entire race. They also recognize that while today’s descendants did not personally inflict the harm, they, nonetheless continue to benefit from the power and wealth amassed by their ancestors’ efforts to suppress an entire race. Finally, the qualification factor acknowledges the “most “deserving” students” are the ones who will be recognized by the college’s admission process as those who can best serve society’s or the community’s needs (LaFollette, 2007, p. 93). It is clear to see, from both sides of the argument, those painted ponies placed on that circling carousel so many decades ago are still rising and falling with each passing generation. “Many Americans now reject” it, although the Judicial Branch still recognizes instances where it is “legally permissible” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 87).

            If we recognize and accept the premise, “People’s history shapes their opportunities. Since the history of the blacks in America is one in which they have been systematically harmed, then their opportunities have been, and continue to be, limited”; then we must accept the notion there must be a remedy that will help to improve their lives and the lives of their future generation (LaFollette, 2007, p. 91). If its practice is to simply look at what a person is i.e., a person is white or a person is black, in an effort to realize equal results rather than equal opportunity, then it is ethically wrong as it does nothing more, in this author’s opinion, than lead to what Connerly (2000) described as “an annoying intrusion of racial bean-counting” that runs the risk of placing people in a position of possible failure and immediately being stereotyped as one who landed a job or got into a university simply because of the color of their skin, rather than the content of character. If; however, it seeks to do that which this writer’s grandmother explained some forty years ago, to give opportunity to a group of people who suffered greatly and often ran the risk of being killed for learning to read and write, and to provide for their children to one day return to that impoverished neighborhood that sparked their dream of becoming a doctor and delivering quality care to those less fortunate; then, it, affirmative action, in a word, “Yes”, is ethical.

References

Abbott, C., Argersinger, J.A., Argersinger, P.H., Barney, W.L., DeJohn Anderson, V., Goldfield,

            D., & Weir, R.M. (2011). The American Journey: A History of the United States.

            (6^th ed.). (Vol. 2). Boston: Prentice Hall.     

Connerly, W. (2000, March). My fight against race preferences: a quest toward 'creating equal'.

            The Chronicle of Higher Education, 46(27), B6+. Retrieved from:

            http://go.galegroup.com.db06.linccweb.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA59793347&v=2.1&u

            =lincclin_dbcc&it=r&p=AONE&sw=wn

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Marlow, E.K., & Rowland, K.M. (1989). Affirmative Action: Federal Support, Supreme Court

            Decisions, and Human Resource Management. Human Resource Management, 28(4),

            541-556.

McAdams, T., Neslund, K., & Neslund, N. (2007). Law, Business, and Society. (8^th ed.). Boston:

            McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Moreno, P. (2003). The History of Affirmative Action Law and Its Relation to College

            Admission. Journal of College Admission, (179), 14-21.

A634.3.5.RB_MedleyKim_Here Lies a Former Leader

Here Lies a Former Leader

     What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! These are the first words that collect as Kramer (2003) argues why the past few decades may well be regarded as the era when leaders believed the sky was the limit, they could fly as close to the sun as ever imagined, and failure was something of which philosophers wrote and pontificated. The Enron disaster certainly returned all of us to Earth, including those rising stars of industry, whose faces, having once “graced the covers of business magazines”, now met the unforgiving pavement of Wall Street that left them wondering if greed was good; then what went horribly wrong (Kramer, 2003, p. 58). Kramer chronicles the exploits that capture global headlines; but, what happens when that same fall from grace happens here at home?

     As reported by FlaglerLive (2015a), just weeks after her office was raided by The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the ex-elections supervisor abruptly resigned her post. Within but a few months of that resignation, a grand jury would return twelve felony indictments against the same constitutional officer for Flagler County (FlaglerLive, 2015a). I well remember her seemingly meteoric rise. Her career began as a Deputy Clerk of Probate for the Flagler Clerk of Court. She, along with nine other clerks, had been unceremoniously fired in such a manner, that procedures for future employee terminations were either enhanced, or developed and implemented. For months, she doggedly pursued evidence against the Clerk of Court which led to an audit by the State of Florida Auditor General that found many irregularities for which processes and procedures have been developed by both the County Commission and Clerk’s office so as to implement the Auditor General’s recommendations. Having won what the former elections official considered a win against her former boss; she then decided to run for the office of Supervisor of Elections having been advised the incumbent would not seek re-election. It was a stunning and dramatic victory and was reaffirmed in 2012 when she won re-election to a second term; so, the resignation was all the more a curious event.

     Kramer (2003) points out leaders such as Ken Lay, Dennis Kozlowski, and Bernard Ebbers “prove adept at overcoming whatever obstacles they encounter along the way” (p. 58). The same can be said for the former supervisor. By any measure of business standards, those used by the former elections supervisor were unconventional, to say the least. However, if the points made by Kramer (2003) are to be given credence, then this constitutional officer certainly possessed the “incredible daring and flair” for not only flaunting rules and breaking from the herd of elected officials; she also epitomized the image of an “aggressive chief”, one who slammed “herself in the news with creative controversies largely of her making”, admired by society (FlaglerLive, 2015b; Kramer, 2003, p. 58). It would appear her flare for the dramatics and willingness to push the envelope led to the numerous indictments returned by the grand jury in May of this year.

     The grand jury found the former elections official had taped conversations of a county commissioner, the county attorney, the county judge, the clerk for the City of Palm Coast, and officials from the Florida Division of Elections, including the Secretary of State, Ken Detzner; and, she did so without their permission (FlaglerLive, 2015a). According to FlaglerLive (2015b), this former official “routinely downloaded the audio files to her computer, edited and then transcribed them”. Further, she disseminated the information; again, without permission (FlaglerLive, 2015a). Kramer (2003) observes the underpinning mentality of the “winner-take-all” leader as one that advocates in order to get ahead, one must do “things differently from ordinary people” (p. 61). Unlike Reginald Lewis, cited by Kramer (2003) as an excellent example for doing the unordinary, the only backdoor sought by the former elections supervisor was to gather what she thought to be incriminating evidence against many elected officials in order to apply leverage to the many battles taking place between her office and other county and city officials (FlaglerLive, 2015a). Lewis’ approach led him to the halls of Harvard (Kramer, 2003). The former supervisor’s methodology has led to an initial arrest and a long trial beginning January, 2016 (FlaglerLive, 2015a).

     Kramer (2003) concludes that while leaders should seek to be more reflective; often times they have a low sense of who they are and “remain curiously oblivious to many of their own tendencies that expose them to risk” (p. 66). I know of many leaders who tried to offer guidance, assistance, and sage advice to the former elections supervisor. I witnessed many of these interactions. I am often asked if there was ever any hint of the paranoia-like behavior that was exhibited almost from the beginning of her tenure. My answer is simply, No”. It seems as if Kramer’s (2003) “decades of research in the behavioral sciences” came to pass with this ex-leader, too (p. 66). She strived for and reached the top that once there she changed in ways that had neither been anticipated nor expected. As Kramer (2003) explains, he often has his students pen their own obituaries as a way to become more aware of what success can do to a person. I often wonder how this ex-elections supervisor would have written her obituary; unfortunately, the media will soon be adding to her political obituary.

References

FlaglerLive. (2015a, May 6). Grand Jury Indicts Ex-Election Supervisor Kimberle Weeks on

            12 Felony Counts Over Secret Recordings. Retrieved from

            http://flaglerlive.com/78276/kimberle-weeks-indicted/

FlaglerLive. (2015b, Oct. 23). Latest Kimberle Weeks Pre-Trial Again Continued to January.

            Retrieved from http://flaglerlive.com/86721/kimberle-weeks-pretrial/

Kramer, R.M. (2003, Oct.) The Harder They Fall. Harvard Business Review, 81(10), 58-66.

            Retrieved from             http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid       =d0a065e6-b5e2-425b-a4e1-4ad59fd9160f%40sessionmgr4002&vid=1&hid=4109

A634.2.4.RB_MedleyKim_A Mother's Love

A Mother’s Love

            It has been forty-one years since a typical school morning changed the life of a then fourteen year old girl. Our house, complete with a full basement, quite an unusual find in the State of Florida, much less that of the small, sleepy town of DeBary, sat on a three quarter acre lot and overlooked a beautiful body of water known as Lake of the Woods. My father had purchased two wooded lots up the road from the house. The plan was for my mother and him to build their dream A-frame home. My mother had been planning for that house for as long as I can remember. She clipped magazine photos of decorating ideas. She had started to buy items, like drapery and curtains; items she would find on sale. The morning of April 2, 1974 brought that dream, along many dreams neither dreamed nor realized, to an end.

            LaFollette (2007) teaches “A Tale of Two Theories” (p. 22). Both consequentialism, the choice presented to us when faced with a moral decision that results in “the best overall consequences, and deontology, acts of behavior dictated by “moral rules or rights… at least partly independent of consequences” provide methodologies for looking at ethical issues and deciding how one should act (LaFollette, 2007, p. 22). Each provides us with a series of questions to be asked to determine both consequences and their respective weight, or, if there is a sufficient negative rule, a don’t, taught as a child that would preclude us from engaging in a particular behavior such as: lying, sexual harassment, or the consideration of capital punishment (LaFollette, 2007). Consequentialists believe “we are morally obligated to act in ways that produce the best consequences” while deontologists contend “”most of us were taught morality as a set of rules” which not only impose “strict moral limits on what we can do to others”; these rules guide us to “do the right thing… for the right reasons” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 24, 31).

            Years often go by without my thoughts returning to that April morning. Our front living room overlooked the lake and we would often open the windows during the summer to take advantage of the breezes coming in from across the lake. Throughout the night you could hear the leaves in the trees rustle, crickets chirp, frogs croak, especially after a summer rain, and fish periodically splash. It was a nightly melody that assured sound sleep every night. Many times, my mother would put blankets and pillows down on the floor so my brother and I could sleep without being awakened to go to our beds. Such was the case on the night of April 1. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, or, at least my memory doesn’t recall. My mother had failed to awaken in time to get my brother and me ready for school. She had fallen asleep on the sofa. I remember first calling her name to wake her. I then nudged her on her shoulder and called her name. Her breathing was labored, her skin was clammy to the touch, the color from her face had drained, and with each passing call for her to wake up, my voice level rose. I sent my brother to our neighbors across the street for help. The father, Mr. Piccone, was a volunteer fireman. While awaiting help, I tried and tried to wake her up. I even slapped her face. Mr. Piccone and his wife called for an ambulance. That was the last time I saw my mother alive.

            I was later told by my father, that when the ambulance reached the hospital in Sanford, Florida, my mother’s doctor quipped, “She’s a nut, take her to Halifax”. Without admitting her and checking her vitals, she was transported to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach. It’s a good thirty minute drive under the best driving conditions. I was told she suffered a drop in her blood sugar; and, as a result, experienced brain damage. Had she lived, she would never be the mother I knew. She died later that day. It would be years before my aunt would tell me of her struggles with depression and mental health issues. I have often wondered what she was thinking; and, having read LaFollette’s (2007) explanations of two theories that offer guidance for ethical issues, I further question what, if any considerations, she considered before deciding to end her life.

            My parents were separated at the time. This was the third marriage for my father. I know my father was not a faithful husband. I had seen my mother struggle with this knowledge for years. Velasquez, Andre, Shanks, S.J., and Meyer (2010) present replies to questions asked by “sociologist Raymond Baumhart”. The answers range from “my feelings tell me” what is “right or wrong” to “standards of behavior” accepted by society (Velasquez et al., 2010). My mother was from a generation that not believed adultery was wrong; she was taught to believe divorce was not acceptable under any circumstance and was often equated with failure as a woman. She was a religious woman. Could she not fathom the jeers and criticism spoken in hushed tones by parishioners?

            Applying the theory of consequentialism, did she consider “morally relevant” consequences (LaFollette, 2007, p.23)? Had she chosen to live, she would have faced a divorce from my father, possible further isolation from his family, a belief she had failed as a wife, the possible inability to provide for her children, my father managed all of the finances, and a separation from her children, either through an attainment of full custody by my father, or a visitation schedule which would require time away from her to be spend with my father; all of which, according to LaFollette (2007) would have affected her “significant interests” (p. 25). What weight did she assign to these consequences? Both the nature and number of her interests had increased possibilities of coming to fruition (LaFollette, 2007). LaFollette (207) notes the “dominant form of consequentialism – utilitarianism” espouses “the sole consequence we need to consider if happiness” (p. 26). Did my mother, in a depressed state, while under the care of a psychiatrist and prescribed medication, somehow deduce my brother and I would be happier with my father, the stronger parent; and, that my father would realize happiness by being freed from a marriage without the stigma of yet another divorce; and, finally, she would be happy as all of her pain would be gone? Would this “promote the greatest happiness of the greatest number” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 27)? Or was my mother, as proffered by Tiatorio, n.d.), acting “out of emotion rather than reason”?

            Shneidman (1976a) cites Dr. Richard Brandt’s, professor and chair for the University of Michigan’s Department of Philosophy, considerations for suicide. Brandt states three relevant positions with regards as to when suicide can be viewed as moral (Shneidman, 1976a). Absent temporary insanity, if the person committing suicide is “blameworthy” i.e., “the act had catastrophic consequences for survivors”; then the act of suicide is objectionable (as cited Shneidman, 1976a, p. 101). Brandt continues with the second morally relevant position of whether suicide and prohibitions are “absolute or relative” (as cited Shneidman, 1976a, p. 101). Although Brandt recognizes and rejects the stance, “nothing can justify a suicide”; he favors the notion “the strong obligation not to commit suicide may be overturned by other strong obligations” (as cited in Shneidman, 1976a, p. 101). Did deontology enter my mother’s thoughts?

            LaFollette (2007) states as children we begin to learn morality through the teachings of a list of rules. At first, we learn the very basics, such as ‘thou shalt not kill’. Brandt confirms that religion teaches “men are creatures of God and only God should terminate their existence” (as cited in Shneidman, 1976a, p. 101). When rules conflict, such as self-termination through suicide versus the rule ‘thou shalt not kill’, deontologists revert to “primary rules” that “take precedence over others” (LaFollette, 2007, p. 32). Was my mother confronted with what Tiatorio (n.d.) refers to as “the underlying ethical creed” of today’s youth? Did she view her decision as neither right nor wrong as she was the final judge (Tiatorio, n.d.)? Kastenbaum proffers, “we prefer to think that death does have a cause, that it is very important to know the cause, and that the cause can be stated and understood in objective, rational terms” (as cited in Shneidman, 1976b, p. 106). Is this why society objects to suicide because the survivors cannot state and understand the cause of death? If my mother had reached a point in her life, and had a moment of rational thought, where she believed she had “the right to determine the duration” of her life; and, she could end the very real pain of losing her husband, her children, and a life she had come to know and love at a time and place of her choosing; then was she not following LaFollette’s (2007) “meta-rule” by believing it would be wrong to continue living and failing to fulfill her obligations as a wife and mother (p. 32; Shneidman, 1976b, p. 107)? Would I want this maxim, wives facing certain divorce and impending separation from their children should commit suicide, to become a universal law (LaFollette, 2007)? Certainly not and for that reason, deontology fails; but, it did provide me with a different way to looking at that which my mother faced.

            I will never know what finally brought my mother to the final decision she made. Was she over-prescribed medication? Did the medication render her incapable of making a rational decision? Did her depression constrict her ability to consider other solutions, judge alternate probabilities, and decrease her enthusiasm for an answer to a life without pain (Shneidman, 1976a)? I will never know. Somehow the “mother/child relationship that riveted” Tiatorio’s (n.d.) students had left her. Perhaps she supposed my brother and I would be stronger and happier if raised by the stronger parent. Perhaps she knew my grandmother and aunt would be there when a fourteen year old girl needed to ask questions she herself could neither answer nor of which she could speak. I believe she weighed the consequences and in the end, although it saddens me to this day, she did that which she thought was right and for the right reason. For years I assigned blame to her; but, having never walked in her shoes, I finally realized I was never in a position to morally judge my mother.

References

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

Shneidman, E. S., PhD. (1976a). The morality and rationality of suicide. Psychiatric Annals, 6(11),                 101-102. Retrieved from             http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/894194314?accountid=      27203

Shneidman, E. S., PhD. (1976b). Suicide as the preferred way of death. Psychiatric Annals, 6(11),             106-107. Retrieved from             http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/894245735?accountid=      27203

Tiatorio, A. (n.d.). Ethics Workbooks Philosophical Framework What is Ethics? Ethics in

            Education. Retrieved from http://www.ethicsineducation.com/intro.htm

Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T., S.J., & Meyer, M.J. (2010). What is Ethics? Markkula

            Center for Applied Ethics – Santa Clara University. Retrieved from

            http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html