Everyone knows that debates of ethical issues can be quite boring. However, our module tutor succeeded in leading an interesting debate in our class,especially through an interesting exercise. (My classmate Nathalie Bellanger had a post on her blog Can PR ever be ethical? describe more details about the interesting exercise in class).
There are many ethical issues in PR related to the public interest, such as justice, responsibility, respect and safety. There are often more complicated than you can imagine.
I am trying to compare this topic with my friend’s personal experience. Until recently, she was happily married with a good job as a chief editor of a fashion magazine, while her husband worked as the CEO of a big IT company.
Everything was fine until the husband found that the beautiful wife has been dating another guy.
He said: A family with lies is unacceptable.
And he wants a divorce.
She said: I did it for the family’s interest, and I still love our family.
The fact was that she lied.
Of course she did something wrong, but who doesn’t.
I think that honesty is one of the basic ethical issues in PR. Coming back to the love story again. If she has a short affair, should she tell her husband?
But if everyone tells, kids will lose their mothers, husbands will lose their wives and there will be no happy families. Is this the best ethical result?
I’m sorry but I can’t agree with that.
It is difficult to construct a single solution for all the ethical values. Putting more regulation and legislation into place is better than just following an ethical code. I think that governments will pay more attention and implement tougher PR regulation, similar to the Advertisement law.
In addition to this, different cultures should have different codes and ethical framework. For example, a lot of English people don’t accept why Chinese people don’t believe in god.
I have been asked quite a few times about why I don’t go to the church. My answer is: I do show respect to God and Buddha etc. but I’ sorry I have no religious belief, I just believe in love.
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