Politics Morally compromising situations

[jess]

I don't live in the best neighbourhood and its usually flooded with teenagers milling around, loitering around the shops and train station. One day I had been walking around the shopping centre and this man and woman walk briskly pass me to grab a teenage girl standing around with her friends. I assumed they were the parents as they were cursing loudly at her making a big scene, berating her for her behaviour (I assumed skipping school, not following their rules, etc.) and they dragged her out of the shopping centre. All the girl did was cry and reluctantly let her parents drag her away.

At first I thought that it was just another typical day but realization hit me. Were they really the parents? Was she disobeying them, disrepecting them? Did she suffer at home? Did the parents suffer by wondering where she was all day?

Later on, I walked past a shop and passed three teenage girls who were huddled together and I noticed one was carrying merchandise from the shop. I assumed they shop-lifted and I'm pretty confident they did. But what did I do? Nothing. Nothing! I looked at them inquistively and I walked away. I felt guilty for not doing anything, I felt angry at the low morality in my neighbourhood, and I felt weak for not standing up for what I believe in.

I dunno why I posted this, I guess I needed to vent. Feel free to share your experiences and thoughts.

 

[sycofancy]

As for the former situation, I have been there is is a test of ones moral code. ONe has to assume that the girl was not in fact being kidnapped and just having a confrontation with her parents. Think of it this way, would you have widhed to be the one involved is you know it was her parents? I would think certainly not since they are the ones that know best for her.

For that latter, just chalk it up to youthful antics. Kids stealing things from shops all that time. They will one day learn that this kind of activity is wrong and feel bad for it on their own terms.

 

[jess]

Yeah, that's what I thought to. With the first situation, there was really nothing I could do and there's was nothing I was going to do. I'm not in a position to tell anyone how to live their life and I never will. As for the second situation, I shouldn't really be surprised. Some of my friends stole alot when we were in highschool and I couldn't even tell them to stop. Soon they got caught big time and eventually lost interest. I think its the thrill of responsibility-free adolescence and attempting to create an identity that fuel such behaviour.

 

[the_alliance]

last week, a senior stole one of the master keys to the lockers at my school. i felt like i had an obligation to turn him in, but i didn't want to, you know what i mean? -_-

 

[Existentialist]

last week, a senior stole one of the master keys to the lockers at my school. i felt like i had an obligation to turn him in, but i didn't want to, you know what i mean? -_-

You don't want to be a tattle-tale, but a student having the master key to the lockers is quite, uh, dangerous.

In high school, I saw kids cheating on tests all the time. I didn't turn them in (though if they copied off of me, I'd yell at them after class), 'cause I figure they're just ruining their own chance at actually learning something.

 

[jess]

In high school, I saw kids cheating on tests all the time. I didn't turn them in (though if they copied off of me, I'd yell at them after class), 'cause I figure they're just ruining their own chance at actually learning something.

I thought highschool was bad, uni is worse. People are coping with another's assignments and I actually encouraged my friend to kinda not give away the answers to her assignment to a friend in her class. I know I wasn't in any position to tell her to do so but the poor girl was working hard and stressing to figure the assignment only to get her work copied for free by a friend.

last week, a senior stole one of the master keys to the lockers at my school. i felt like i had an obligation to turn him in, but i didn't want to, you know what i mean? 

Yeah, we've all been there.

Going home on the bus today I happened to sit at the back where all the highschool kids congregate. When the bus was all quiet they started playing some lurid sounds of heightened physical ecstasy from their mobile phone somehow, yeah you know what I'm talking about. I was so close to telling them to pipe down and stop being immature but I guess adolescence is a rite of passage where you get to be immature only to see how useless it is. I don't know...I guess I'm just really grumpy and cynical all the time.

 

[MVhunny]

its hard to know when to say something...and when not to. and even when you know you should, its still a difficult thing to actually have to tell something someone else did. normally, i do my best to cover my paper, just so i dont have to deal with cheating. if somethings REALLY wrong, i go to my advisor, whose really the only teacher i feel really comfortable talking to.

 

[karlee]

I find that if something happening that you know about that could change someones life for the worse you should tell. or anything like that beacuse if you do then someone can help the person if you dont then you could be helping throw some ones life away. But hey its your call

 

[karlee]

last week, a senior stole one of the master keys to the lockers at my school. i felt like i had an obligation to turn him in, but i didn't want to, you know what i mean? -_-

anyone is free to copy of me beacuse they would probably fail anyway!

 

[VaughnFan13]

In high school, I saw kids cheating on tests all the time. I didn't turn them in (though if they copied off of me, I'd yell at them after class), 'cause I figure they're just ruining their own chance at actually learning something.

I thought highschool was bad, uni is worse. People are coping with another's assignments and I actually encouraged my friend to kinda not give away the answers to her assignment to a friend in her class. I know I wasn't in any position to tell her to do so but the poor girl was working hard and stressing to figure the assignment only to get her work copied for free by a friend.

last week, a senior stole one of the master keys to the lockers at my school. i felt like i had an obligation to turn him in, but i didn't want to, you know what i mean? 

Yeah, we've all been there.

Going home on the bus today I happened to sit at the back where all the highschool kids congregate. When the bus was all quiet they started playing some lurid sounds of heightened physical ecstasy from their mobile phone somehow, yeah you know what I'm talking about. I was so close to telling them to pipe down and stop being immature but I guess adolescence is a rite of passage where you get to be immature only to see how useless it is. I don't know...I guess I'm just really grumpy and cynical all the time.

Yeah, kids cheat on tests all the time here too. And if uni is worse than HS, then...*shudder* Everyone (including me, sadly enough) cheat or copy others' homework assignments. I've tried to stop, and I definetly cheat/copy a lot less than I did last year. This year, I've only cheated/copied when the assignment was worth a lot of points and I either totally forgot/didn't understand, or when my final grade hangs in the balance. I mean, really, when faced with cheating on a test and recieving a 'D' for my final grade, or not cheating and failing the class, come on, which do you think i'm going to choose? What do you think the majority of students would choose? Honestly, if i'm forced to cheat on more than a few questions (e.g. i'm not sure of the answers), i will go back and review the material, look up the answer, learn the material. but, since i'm a pretty good student in most of my classes, i've been asked to let people see my paper for tests and i've been asked if people can see my homework. yes, i let them. we've got a flawed mentality. we think, you help me out, and i'll help you out when you need it. because sooner or later, you will need help, and no one will hesitate to help. yes, it does only hurt us if we dont learn the material, but frankly, i will not turn a person in for cheating. it doesnt matter if they screw up the curve or whatever to me. if that test is the difference to them between failing or passing the class, i dont care. everyone cheats/copies at least once.