Blowing the Whistle By Miguel Valencia

The Problem  You know that your company is engaging in some unethical practices that could potentially cost some people their lives.  You have already talked to you’re higher ups and instead of listening to you they tell you to be quiet.  What are you supposed to do: keep quiet and do as you’re told, or blow the whistle on your employer?

Should You Do Nothing?  If you know what is going on and yet you decide to keep quiet, then you are breaking professional morals by not doing what is best for the customer.  Should something happen and it was something you could have prevented, then you may end up having to live with that guilt for the rest of your life.  One such case would be the McDonnell Douglas DC-10

Should You Blow the Whistle?  If you feel that what your employer is doing does not fit with professional ethics, then you can blow the whistle.  Although doing this might seem like the right thing to do, such an action might mean the end of your career and make it difficult to find employment elsewhere.  In this case, Utilitarianism is not implied since the right choice does not always lead to the maximum pleasure or happiness. Thus such an act would follow Kantian ethics.

Conclusion  At any given time, we can all be placed in a tough spot on whether what is the right thing to do.  On one hand, doing nothing can be bad or good depending on the situation however the same can be said for also taking action.  For many of us, doing the right thing is one of the first things that come to mind, however it is the fear of the consequences that sometimes prevents us from taking such action.