the ethicist

Author: Amanda Greene

Our generation loves cell phones. Text-messaging. Drunk dials. Dinner plans. Cell phones allow students to be in one place, but to be aware of everything that's transpiring elsewhere. We can watch the free Friday film while finding out about the turnout of the Pearsons party, and checking up on the score of the Red Sox game. College students, as attached to mobile devices, are never out of the loop. We have the social and academic scene at our disposal.

Yet, cell phones divert our attention away from the situation that we're in, and often cause students to ignore their peers, and to inadvertently give others the impression that they, and what they have to say, are not important. If you're in the middle of a serious conversation with someone, or a conversation that spans more than a few quick exchanges, it's not appropriate to answer your cell phone without an explanation. It's important to take the phone call from the woman who interviewed you for that internship last Wednesday, but answering your cell should be done politely and cautiously, so that your companion does not feel that he is being slighted.

If you have to answer your cell phone mid-interaction, preface the interruption with "I'm sorry I have to take this" or "I'll just be a minute"- everyone will understand the urgency of the call if the called is courteous. You don't have to reveal that your kooky Aunt from Minnesota (who still calls you Pookie Bear) is on the other line, but you should provide your companion with some sort of explanation. Also, please put your phones on silent during class! We all feel awkward when "Candy Shop" starts blasting in the middle of lecture.



And now for this week's question:



Q: I was placed in sub free housing in summer draw, never signed a contract that said I would not keep alcohol in my room, and really want to have a party. I understand that my floor is technically dry but I don't think that I should have to adhere to a code of conduct that I did not elect to be part of. Is it ethical for me to throw a party?



A: While it is unfortunate that you live in sub free housing when you want to drink, your own personal choices do not permit you to disrespect the hall's preference for silent, margarita free nights. That said, because you did not sign a contract that forbids you to store thirty-racks, and because your room is your personal space, there is nothing wrong with consuming alcohol behind closed doors. It is acceptable to have a fiesta where drinking takes place as long as your neighbors are not affected by your actions. Have an intimate gathering and not a rager. After all, it is not permissible to bring outside food into movie theaters, but no one is harmed if a few Junior Mints make it in, unnoticed, under someone's jacket.

Want to consult the ethicist? Send submissions to amgreene@middlebury.edu