An ethical person is a person with integrity. A person that can look in the mirror and like what they see because they know what they do is right, despite what others think. Everyone knows the difference between right and wrong, but how a person defines those two words, that is the differentiating quality. The saying "Let your conscience be your guide." from Disney’s Pinocchio makes the whole concept of choosing between right and wrong seem so simple. In reality there may be more than one right answer or the line between right and wrong may be blurred until it is nearly unrecognizable. However, an ethical person is someone that does what they believe to be right whether or not it is easy.
A person’s ethics take shape over time. A younger child or even a teenager can draw from their parents’ beliefs, political or religious and in turn their ideas of right and wrong. Over time we develop our own sense of ethical behavior through experiences, learning and our own choices. To have ethics is to be respectful to others, their time, money, life and possessions. If a person can cover all of those then they are incredibly ethical.
If the above person described was put into a situation with a friend that was lying and possibly in trouble then they would of course tell the parents. That would show respect for their friend, her parents and herself. They would probably talk to their friend first and then make a joint decision.
Ethics in Journalism is one of the most important things. To have an honest journalist is indispensable to a media company and to the public. To learn the truth from a constantly reliable source would be a relief. A big part of listening or reading news is sifting through it to find the facts. We would get so much farther with journalism if everyone had good ethics and was honest with one another, from the first primary source to the reporters pen, the public would know more.
