Situation Definition
The story of Stephen Glass brings up a number of concerns in regards to news and media ethics. Perhaps the most troubling part about Glass’s time with The New Republic was the fact that he had fabricated 27 of his 41 stories with the magazine. To make matters worse, he went to great lengths in order to cover up his lies. In the process, he repeatedly betrayed his audience and his co-workers. The fabrication and the subsequent attempts of deception are two main issues that violate basic ethical principles.
Analysis
There are a handful of explanations as to why Stephen Glass felt the need to fabricate his stories, but one of the more prominent reasons explored in the film is Glass’s overwhelming sense of social pressure. Having grown up in the affluent and successful area of Highland Park, Glass was always comparing himself to the people he grew up with—people who went on to be lawyers, doctors, and so forth. Despite the fact that Glass was writing for a renowned magazine, he never felt like he was good enough. He always felt like he needed to do more so he could be as successful as his peers back home. Glass yearned for higher self-esteem and social acceptance, which, according to Jefferson Spurlock, are two main factors in determining why people lie. Spurlock (2016) goes on to cite an article written by Gail Saltz, in which Saltz concludes that people lie to “look good” and to “gain financially or socially” (p. 72). Both of these observations apply to the case of Stephen Glass.
Saltz (2004) also states that people lie to “protect themselves” and to “avoid punishment” (pp. 4). This explains why Glass continued to dig himself into a deeper hole instead of confessing to his mistakes. Once he started to lie, he believed he had to keep it up or else he would be suspended, fired, or blackballed from the journalism community, as a whole. As he began to weave more and more intricate falsehoods, he continuously betrayed the trust of the two groups a journalist must never deceive, according to Dr. Bu Zhong: their audience and their colleagues (2019). It’s not as if Glass was put in prison because of these lies; what he was doing wasn’t illegal. However, it’s a journalist’s job to “promote public interests and knowledge and to have a moral culture that goes beyond the legal requirements already in place” (“Media Law and Ethics,” 2009). By deceiving his audience and co-workers, Glass failed to uphold the ethical standards of a journalist.
Conclusion
When it comes to how I would’ve handled the situation if I were in Glass’ shoes, I would’ve immediately come clean once his editor questioned him about the mini-bottles at the hotel. It’s one thing to lie for fame or prestige, but it’s another thing to lie to a person you admire and trust. I would’ve stopped the games, accepted my punishment, and tried to re-establish my reputation as soon as possible. I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learned from this case is that it’s always better to seek help from others when you can’t solve a problem as opposed to making the problem even worse by feeding into it.
References
Spurlock, J. (2016). Why Journalists Lie: The Troublesome Times for Janet Cooke, Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair, and Brian Williams. A Review of General Semantics, 72. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=7678b707-4281-47fe-9863-834f19c65c1a%40sessionmgr102
Saltz, G. (2004, January 31). Why people lie—and how to tell if they are. Retrieved from https://www.today.com/health/why-people-lie-how-tell-if-they-are-2D80554952
Zhong, B. (2018). C409: Deception and Truth-Telling, Week 3 Notes [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1989296/files/folder/Lecture%20Notes?preview=102932107
Media Law and Ethics: Intersection of The New York Times Code of Ethics and Cases (2009). Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=1285250f-9ceb-437a-800c-ea3f708a5c5c%40pdc-v-sessmgr02