An Introduction to Ethics: Putting People to the Test

8/24/2009.

Certainly there are cases where we should put people to the test. However, there are exceptions, such as not doing things that are irreversible, such as murdering someone.

1.

My favorite and classic example, is I think on January 10, 2008, near the start of the semester, me and my lab partner got a new lab partner in our organic chemistry class, whom was half White and half Hispanic. My partner asked him the inevitble question - which do you prefer, White or Hispanic girls? And he answered definitely Hispanic, as he can't stand White girls.

And he would tell us the story of him putting his current girlfriend to the test when they 1st got in their relationship. He would tell her he had no car, and went around on bike. And to cut a story short, she eventually finds out he does have a car, and makes the "I thought you didn't have a car" argument, which he replies "I was testing you."

However, I would not recommend this story the other way around. That is, saying you're a rich guy and all that, and actually more like a homeless person, and then making the "I was testing you" argument.

2.

Another good example, is an older friend of my Dad's has this thing where when he meets new people and go out to drink with them, he'd buy them a drink. And see if they'd buy him a drink in return. And buy him another drink. And see if they'd buy him another drink in return. But if he bought him several drinks and the guy didn't buy him any drinks in return, then he'd know whether they were users or not. (Obviously there are variables he'd have to take into consideration, such as economic reasons or whether he was a homeless or not, etc.).

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You can find lots of examples of where you might be putting someone to the test or someone putting you to the test.

Someone putting me to the test: learn from this story!

3.

On July 15, 2006, Saturday, I woke up a bit after 6, got up when my alarm set at 7, left my place at 7:30 a.m. to arrive at 7:45 a.m., to go to Grayslake, Illinois, leaving at almost 8:30 a.m.

I spent the day doing landscaping: dug a hole, built a fence, piled up wood, mowed the front and back lawns, and finished screwing a fence. We went to The Home Depot to return 18 fence posts and rented a roto-mower. Left Grayslake at past 11 p.m., arriving home at Chicago at almost midnight.

He drops me off in front of my apartment, where my apartment is on the driver's side. So when I go out the car and around the car, at the driver-side window he pays me the cash.

When he 1st offered me this work, he asked if $7 an hour sounded good, and I said yes. 8 hours is some $56, but I did not work the entire time that day (does not count lunch, dinner, breaks, all that). And I worked around 8 hours that day.

So at night by the car window he gives me 3 $20's, and then a $100, as I later count when I got home.

I go, huh? $160? Not $60?

8 hours times 7 an hour is 56, which is close to 60, not 160.

The next day I go to my Dad's house (where he was sleeping over) and I tell my Dad this and my Dad agrees with me that it might have been a mistake.

Since I got home around before midnight, I woke up after 10 the next day, Sunday.

When the guy arrives in the 2nd floor kitchen, where me and my Dad were, it is not long before I go "Oh, Steve, you made a mistake last night. You paid me an extra $100 bill." And he goes "Nope, you earned it."

Cuz he was testing me. Then my Dad goes on about how it was good of me to tell the truth and bring it up and the guy Steve agrees with him.

Cuz suppose I didn't tell him that and didn't bring it up. And ignored it, like it didn't happen. Then I would not have been offered to continue landscaping! I was put to the test.