2011 Student Ethics Award Scholarship Recipients Essays
Essay by Caleb Huang
Capital High School
Throughout the centuries, many great philosophers have posited different views on the nature of ethics. Socrates argued that self-knowledge was the gate to virtue, while Aristippus of Cyrene believe that pleasure and gratification were the pinnacle of what is good. To me, though, the definition of true ethics is the adherence to every aspect of our beliefs, as defined by our unique identities. So “ethics” is “integrity,” for they both involve an unbending resolve to be who we are and not who others may guide us to be.
Beliefs change according to societal experience and subjective cultural contexts. For example, the Indian practice of sati, in which widows immolate themselves at their husbands’ funeral pyres, was considered ethical even during the artistic flowering of the Mughal Empire, but French satirist Voltaire showcases its folly in his novel Zadig. Voltaire’s philosophy was itself spawned from the Enlightenment wave that was sweeping Europe then. This variety in our beliefs is a major reason that I value ethics, for ethics provides the strength needed to maintain that rich diversity in the global community.
Morals can also be molded by the individual, and men who can build on social philosophies to pave their own paths can truly be considered paragons of ethics. Ethical men are not distinguished by the nature of, but rather by their fidelity to, those paths. The man who wishes to develop a cure for cancer and the man who wished to service the disabled are both ethical if they burn with passion for their dreams. But perhaps one of the best representations of ethics is Jean Valjean, the protagonist in Victor Hugo’s classic Les Miserables. Valjean wished to provide happiness to others rather than to pursue self-interest, even in the face of ingratitude and other vices. When Valjean decided to reveal his own ex-convict background to save a complete stranger, his peaceful life as Mayor Madeleine was shattered, and the townspeople vilified him despite his prior philanthropy. Yet he continued to give out alms while dressed in worn clothing. Like Valjean, I have dreams that I am wholly dedicated to: I have a dream to cure the diseases that have afflicted my family, and I have a dream to relieve my parent’s financial situation through diligent studies.
Ethics and integrity cannot maliciously derail others’ dreams either. No matter how virtuous a person’s end is, if his path harms others and thus hinders the fulfillment of their beliefs, then his behavior becomes inherently unethical. Thus, ethics are important for two reasons: they give us something to live for, and they maintain a peaceful society. Integrity has given my life meaning--each splash of cold water during midnight study sessions and each week I spend earning money is dedicated to my dream--my dream to relieve my family’s ailments and financial straits. And that same integrity, by demanding that we respect others’ values, forms the foundation of a harmony needed for the human race to coexist.
Essay by Wesley Kelly
Kimberly High School
Once there were two skyscrapers that towered over Los Angeles, California. Both were constructed of steel-reinforced concrete. The contractor that built the first skyscraper used high quality building materials. However, the contractor for the second skyscraper used a cheap grade of steel and cut corners in the construction process to increase his profit. Several years after both skyscrapers were completed, a tumultuous earthquake struck. The first skyscraper stood firm, but the seconded skyscraper crumbled, killing thousands of innocent Californians. Clearly, the second contractor had made selfish decisions because he lacked ethics and integrity.
Even choices that don’t affect thousands of people speak greatly about a person’s ethics. In fact, I made an important decision of my own at the end of junior year. I had to take a comprehensive final exam in my dual credit Spanish III class, but I wasn’t ready. I had been gone the day of the final review for state track. Also, I had misplaced half of my notes. I walked into the final feeling completely unprepared. As my instructor answered last-minute questions, I asked if I could have another day to review, but the answer was no.
I struggled through part of the test before realizing that I needed to be released early for National Honor Society elections. My instructor told me to come in first thing the next morning to finish the test. I asked him if I could study that night; all he said was to let my conscience decide.
Later that evening, I reflected on my situation. “If I bomb this test, I could end up with a B in Spanish!” I thought frantically. It would have been easy to look up the test questions, and it seemed like the most profitable course of action to take. But I remembered my instructor’s words about my conscience. I decided not to cheat. I knew what that meant—I might lose my perfect grade point average and my chance to be valedictorian. But I also knew that my character and integrity would remain intact.
Even though I wouldn’t have killed thousands of people by cheating, I am developing habits now that will become permanently ingrained character traits. Dishonesty in high school could lead to worse decisions down the road, such as cheating on tax returns, employing dishonest business practices, or even cutting corners on a major construction project.
Think back to the two skyscrapers. They had similar designs, and they were located in the same area of town. Therefore, the factor that determined whether they stood or fell was their structural integrity. Similar to the two skyscrapers, there are two kinds of students who may have the outside appearance of solidity, and look like they’re made of the same quality materials. But when an earthquake strikes, one stands, and the other crumbles, and the determining factor is their moral integrity. My Spanish final was only a tremor, but ethics and integrity will keep me from crumbling when a true earthquake strikes.