ASSIGNMENT During the next few days, think about a situation in your life in which you felt compelled to lie to keep a secret or protect a person to whom you promised confidentiality. This might be a situation in school, in a relationship, in a family environment – or, perhaps, at work. Review the variables and characteristics covered in the lecture and readings and apply them to this case. Analyze that past situation that shows your understanding of the important intersections of secrecy, lying and confidentiality. The essay should be analytical, not descriptive. Don’t summarize what happened, analyze the events by relatingthem to theme of this unit: secrets and lies. The details should support your analysis and answer these questions:
● Did you feel a sense of loyalty, guilt or anxiety while keeping the secret? ● Were you angry or feeling guilty at having to lie or otherwise act contrary to your moral code to protect the secret? ● If the experience empowered you, the other person, or both of you, how did it change the relationship? ● If others tried to penetrate the secret, what was your response? Do you think the person trying to penetrate the secret had a desire to know, gain control, feel superior, or be intimate? When writing, incorporate these elements from the lecture and readings as they relate to your story: ● A secret does not require a lie. ● People keep a secret from others to protect their personal space, name, thoughts, and all aspects of their identity ● People keep a confidentiality out of a prima facie duty and to show loyalty to a peer such as a close friend or relative ● Duties to others such as parents or close friends may compete with a duty to keep a secret ● Keeping a confidentiality can put a tremendous burden on a person ● A secret can hurt people whether intended or not ● Secrets have inherent dangers ● Penetrating secrets can empower people by giving them leverage over those keeping the secrets
#angry #feeling #guilty #lie #act
