Ethics & Social Responsiblity

According to the textbook, Adventures in Public Relations,  "In public relations work, problems of ethical ignorance tends to cluster into five areas: overwork, legal/ethical confusion, cross-cultural ethics, short-term thinking, and virtual organizations." (Guth 242).

The first problem mentioned in the textbook is overwork. Overwork is by far, absolutely one of my most pressing personal and professional issues. It may seem to some that I tend to 'drop the ball' on some projects, but that is because they do not have the entire picture before them. For example, this semester I have taken on four classes, plus one online class, an internship with WaterWheel and P Hish which I have maintained since May 2009, an internship with the local aquarium, a part time job with Edible Arrangements, a work-study position with Sustain Champlain, and I am a dog walker 5 days a week in the New North End (one day a week in the Old North End too!). This doesn't even begin to include being the President of the Environmental Club and still maintaining meaningful relationships with those closest to me.

I have to admit, ethics sometimes fall short on the long list of obligations I have set out for myself. Occasionally, I may fall victim to Challenge number 4, 'Short-term thinking'. "Short term thinking is poor critical thinking is poor critical thinking. It involves refusing to consider the long-term consequences of your actions." (Guth 243). Struggling to juggle the various projects I am involved on within each of the above listed obligations can lead to short-term insanity (hopefully). I tend to take on more than I am physically and mentally capable of, but that is because my enthusiasm trumps my doubt. One of my positions with ECHO aquarium is as a curator of sorts, for the digital exhibits. This means I have to exercise ethical analysis daily to decide what makes it into the exhibit and what doesn't.

Josh Sternberg, the author of the Mashable article'"Why Curation is Important to the Future of Journalism', wrote "Ethical standards and transparency (like citing/crediting sources) are essential in building trust in a curator. DeGhett says, “The point is to share [news items] and lead people to it, not to claim it as your own… [But] my selection of sources is intended to make an argument, and to support certain things, not to present everything that’s out there or every side.” (Sternberg 1). I have discovered this is could be easy thing to lose sight on, because when curating one becomes so involved in the information they are absorbing in such a concentrated amount of time that it is not always possible to get a full picture.