Grappling with the Gray

Not everything is black and white. That's why we need to grapple with the gray. Let’s face it: we’re all a little neurotic. But when quirks and mild aversions grow into crippling phobias, psychologists may search for novel and creative solutions. As an antidote for pathological shyness, one psychologist instructed patients to go into department stores and engage salespeople by asking for prod...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This week's ethics challenge: From time to time, the makers of soda and sports drinks promote their products through bottle cap lotteries. After opening your drink, you can check online to see if the number printed inside the cap is a winner. True story. A group of coworkers were sitting together and...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. Here is our ethics challenge: There was a time when labor unions were desperately needed to protect workers from despotic bosses, inadequate pay, and odious work conditions. Unions provided a vital service protecting members from unreasonable demands, health hazards, and retaliatory firing, as well as neg...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. Here is this episode's scenario: Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has renewed debate over free speech vs. responsible speech, over the need for and the dangers of censorship, over standards and double standards. Granted that implementing equitable policy solutions across social media may be beyond our...

Do private sins outweigh public virtue, or vice versa? Does the benefit of the many permit us to overlook the transgressions of the few? Is it best to leave the past in the past, or does that compromise the integrity of the future? These are some of the topics we address when this week's ethics panel Grapples with the Gray. Here is our ethics challenge: 15 years after retirement, a prominent...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. Here is today’s ethics challenge: True story: After eleven years working as office manager for a medium-sized company, Charlene found a position with another company offering a higher salary and improved benefits. Her future employer wanted her to start in two weeks, but her current contract required her...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. Here is today’s ethics challenge: A medical supply company creates a surgical implant designed to stop seizures in patients with epilepsy and similar conditions.  In beta testing, the implant proves effective in only 15% of patients, but for those patients it is a miracle cure. However, because of the low...

When you do the wrong thing for the right reason, it is still the wrong thing? Is it possible to apply the principle of fairness so even-handedly that it leads to unfair outcomes? Since mercy is the suspension of justice, how do we avoid sacrificing a core value when we have to choose between them? Few things in life are black and white.  That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. Here...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: A noted psychologist had just finished his address to a group of professionals when a member of the audience approached him and introduced himself. The psychologist immediately recognized the name. Before him stood a world-famous doctor, once featured on the cover of...

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: In case you missed it, on Oct. 2, 2021, while interviewing NASCAR driver Brandon Brown, the winner at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, an NBC Sports reporter misinterpreted the chanting of the crowd as “Let’s go, Brandon.” They were actually chanting “F—- Joe B...

Few things in life are black and white.  That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: Most humor elicits laughter at someone else’s expense: ridicule, mocking, derision and, frequently, misrepresentation. Late night television has built a cottage industry out of corrosive humor. It wasn’t always that way.  An old article in Civilization Magazine expla...

Only by investigating all sides and contemplating every angle can we improve decision-making skills, build more trusting relationships, and help create a more ethical world. This episode's ethics challenge: A close friend calls you up and explains that his brother and his family are planning a vacation.  His brother, however, is struggling financially and can’t afford nice accommodations.  Yo...

Only by investigating all sides and contemplating every angle can we improve ethical decision-making, build more trusting relationships, and help create a more ethical world. This episode's ethics challenge: You've just finished your medical residency.  You've been hired by a respected hospital that wants you to start immediately.  However, because of state regulations and bureaucra...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: Popular movies are often introduced with the message, “Based on true events,” implying a reasonably accurate depiction of reality. We take it for granted that there may be a bit o...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white.  That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: Upon arriving at the grocery store, Sonny remembered that this was a “green” store that charged extra to supply shopping bags, and he had neglected to bring his own bags.  Not wa...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: Sylvie and Hannah grew up as best friends. Even after they settled in different cities, they remained in close contact. After Sylvie became engaged, she was so eager for Hannah to...

Welcome to Grappling with the Gray, a forum for promoting the development of an ethical mindset and ethical decision-making to help us clearly see both sides of complex issues and better navigate the moral challenges of everyday life. And here is today’s ethics challenge: In October 2019, a federal judge upheld the right of Harvard University to set a higher standard of admissions criteria for Asi...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white.  That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: True story: Susan was working in the back office of a neighborhood clinic one morning.  A patient arrived and was admitted for consultation.  Susan heard raised voices, after whi...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: A writer in Psychology Today poses the following dilemma: Coach Ted is a legendary figure in town. For 30 years, he’s coached the kids’ baseball league and promoted community valu...

This episode's ethics challenge: On an episode of House, a patient with a brain tumor suffered frontal lobe disinhibition, which caused him to say every thought that came into his head.  He ended up insulting everyone around him, including his wife who -- spoiler alert -- left him after discovering "what kind of person he really was." Was the wife justified in her claim that her hus...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: I bumped into my neighbor, a doctor, one morning and asked him about a chronic problem that was flaring up. He suggested I try a couple of over-the-counter products and schedule a...

You can’t be ethical until you’ve fully examined and understood both sides of any issue. Few things in life are black and white.  That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray. This episode's ethics challenge: Benny was widely recognized as a whiz kid by his fellow economics students, asking all the right questions in class and coming up with smart answers that impressed even the profe...

Welcome to Grappling with the Gray, a forum for promoting the development of an ethical mindset and ethical decision-making to help us clearly see both sides of complex issues and better navigate the moral challenges of everyday life. Visit https://www.gwtg.live/Login#/ to join our community. This episode's ethics challenge: Last year, the inaugural "Dash for Cash" event at a junior...

Welcome to Grappling with the Gray, a forum for promoting the development of an ethical mindset and ethical decision-making to help us clearly see both sides of complex issues and better navigate the moral challenges of everyday life. This week's scenario: You’re walking down the hallway of a corporate office building.  The elevator door opens in front of you, and out of the elevator steps yo...

This episode's ethics challenge: Anyone even tangentially associated with education is familiar with the phenomenon of grade inflation.  Where a C used to stand for competent but uninspired work, it now stands in place of D or F, either of which is viewed as an academic nuclear button.  Participation trophies are the norm in baseball and soccer, lest some children feel less accomplished than...