Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher gave a talk during the Honor week which regarded questions of ethics and honor. She elicited the three V’s which were values, virtues and visions – which although seems relatively cliché holds extreme prevalence in this day and age. I say this because the modern generation has somewhat shifted each of these V’s and gravitated towards alternate forms of focus, be that through the increase of social media and capability for instant gratification or elsewhere.

An additional point of her speech was the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, which she had close relation to due to her place of birth. Upon prior hearings of this experiment my initial reaction was undoubtedly shock however when hearing of this with personal experiences and effects on the community this reaction was multiplied and grounded due to the personable aspect to it as it only seems as a situation one hears about in textbooks. This distance relates to concepts in leadership as the relation or understanding of fallacies can be overpowered or covered by anecdotes and Dr. Crutcher’s point of ethics. For many leaders reveal a façade of ethical standards by granting miniscule anecdotes as part of a grander ploy or hiding of bias. Which transcends into Dr. Crutcher’s alternate point on trusting no matter the abilities or ways of disparate people with various backgrounds. For everyone is able to be bias but it is when we let these biases overpower not only our trust but our understanding or relation to others is when danger arises. This related somewhat to the unethical choices in the Stanford prison experiment and the immorality Zimbardo projected onto those participating. For it is so easy to let your decisions be blurred thinking it is still an experiment when you are so invested in science and less so to the reality of situations – which can stand true on alternate standpoints not merely science.

Dr. Crutcher’s talk reminded me of although the importance of being honest and ethical will always hold prominence it is also crucial to respect alternate people’s ethics and values without the selfish concept or merely respecting our own.