Wednesday, July 14th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Host: Liz S.
Living Ethics Discussion
the topic is:
"Cutting Corners to Gain Something"
Or: "Don't I Do the Same Thing as BP Sometimes?"
One of the oil companies (maybe BP) actually admitted the other day that it did not engage in certain
safety precautions because the government did not require it. Is that a good enough reason?
How much safety is required by ethics?
What's your experience when you cut corners to get something done? (I'm assuming we all do it on
occasion.) There's a saying that covers over this practice: "Act first, apologize later".
That is, Don't ask for permission first, apologize later for having broken protocol.
Here's a link to a very short (under 2 minutes) interview on PBS with a professional ethicist:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/july-9-2010/gulf-oil-spill-ethics/6634/
I also found a chapter in Dobrin's Ethics for Everyone which might be applied to the topic,
if we find it useful to crack open the book. It's called "Should I Compete against Friends?"
We could apply the thoughts in the chapter to BP as competing against its friends who are all the people who
live in the environment affected by oil spills. BP: "I gain profit, you bear the cost".
Invitation open to members of the Society and their guests.
If you wish, you may RSVP Mr. Bob Greenwell by email.
Sunday, July 11th
University of Missouri Extension Center
260 Brown Road in Saint Peters.
(roadmap)
Members Meeting
This Sunday, July the 11th, we will have a special Members Meeting. All members will have received
the agenda & separate "Help Us to Thrive" survey via email prior to our meeting.
Sunday, July 11th from 10:00 AM 'til 10:30 AM
University of Missouri Extension Center
260 Brown Road in Saint Peters.
(roadmap)
Delicious Pancake & Sausage Breakfast
"A Fun-Raiser Extraordinaire"
This Sunday we will be having another yummy all-you-can-eat pancake & sausage
breakfast. Volunteers who are helping to cook need to be at the Brown Road building at 9:00. We
will serve at 10:00 and stop serving at 10:30 so we can get ready for the Platform Presentation at 11:00.
$5 for adults, $1 for kids under 12.
Thanks so much for supporting our last breakfast, and we look forward to seeing you at this one!
The general public is invited.
Wednesday, July 7th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Hosts: Jill & Bill A.
Living Ethics Discussion
the topic is:
"Is it ever ethical to walk away from a mortgage?"
There is a current trend, in these hard economic times, for people to walk away from their
mortgages, default on their loans, tell the bank "Go ahead, foreclose". There are
organizations that promote this action, and help you to do it.
Most of these people are "under water". That is, their homes are worth
less than the amount they owe on them. Some of these people can afford to continue to make their
mortgage payments, but simply choose not to, arguing that it's a bad business deal for them.
But is it ethical?
There are many good places online to investigate this. Here's a good one:
60 Minutes did
this segment recently.
Invitation open to members of the Society and their guests.
If you wish, you may RSVP Mr. Bob Greenwell by email.
Sunday, July 4th
University of Missouri Extension Center
260 Brown Road in Saint Peters.
(roadmap)
Sunday Lecture Series
This Sunday, July the 4th, we will not be meeting at 260 Brown Road in Saint
Peters to allow the full day for observance of our national holiday.
We will convene the following Sunday, July 11th, with a "Member's Meeting" in lieu of lecture.
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