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Ethical Dilemmas - bp10

Writer's picture: Rogue SiskiyouRogue Siskiyou

Updated: Apr 11, 2023

When honest people with good intentions come together to discuss a shared concern, there is rarely a clear and simple solution we can all agree on. We have individual perspectives on these shared concerns.


Consider the current debate about people camping in Ashland city parks. We have to make trade-offs, to choose between compassion and safety.

Consider the project underway on Ashland Loop Road. We have to choose between shared esthetics and individual choice. We all value the right to choose things for ourselves, yet we live in a community and are impacted by the choices of others.


Rushworth Kidder has a book to help: How Good People Make Tough Choices. He presents a framework using four paradigms to analyze a situation.


He says that most tough choices have these four types of trade-offs. They are: Truth vs. Loyalty, Individual vs. Community, Short-term vs. Long-term, and Justice vs. Mercy.


Let’s try applying them to the Ashland Loop project. It’s a good exercise for understanding the roots of disagreement. We all probably favor one side or the other for each of these paradigms.


· Truth vs. Loyalty:

What is the truth about this project? Is it logging, restoration, or both? Think about a Venn diagram with overlapping circles.

Our commitment to defend the things we value and the things we believe can color our perception of the truth.

For the Ashland Loop project, what truths matter, and what values and beliefs are we loyal to?


· Individual vs. Community:

This may be the dimension most obviously applicable to the Ashland Loop project. How do we make decisions that balance the needs and rights of individuals with the needs and rights of the community?


· Short-term vs. Long-term:

The long-term is a future possibility, while the short-term is an immediate reality.

The benefits of forest restoration are seen as long-term, while the costs are short-term. There might also be debate about the truth of these benefits.

The benefits of fire risk reduction are both short and long term, but again, the truth of the matter is in the eye of the beholder.


· Justice vs. Mercy:

Should we be upset about the lack of public comment period and disregard for people’s esthetic concerns? We should. Justice demands it.

Should we have understanding and compassion for someone who made a decision we didn’t like and robbed us of the chance to comment before the project began? We should. Mercy demands it.

How can we do both? How do we choose?

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