Assignment

In the first writing assignment*, you chose your own moral exemplar (Kobe Bryant), someone you admire, morally speaking. This second writing assignment builds on that and delves into a more specific situation. Imagine that you are working for a company in the near future. In this professional context, you are faced with a morally charged situation. Try to imagine your moral exemplar in this context and ask yourself: What would my moral exemplar do? and What can I learn from my moral exemplar?.

Choose one of the following three situations:

1. You are an employee at a bank and are pressured to achieve (very) high targets. You get the opportunity to artificially boost your figures, for example by making your reports to your boss seem a little better than they actually are. 2. You and your colleagues are asked to complete a joint project, but one colleague in the team puts in minimal effort, passes responsibilities on to others, and acts like a "free-rider" (and this is not the first time he or she is doing this). 3. A colleague makes an obviously sexist comment in a meeting. Some of your colleagues laugh about it, and nobody says anything about it.

First, explain why it would not be self-evident that you would do the right thing in this situation. (About 100 words). describe (the relevant aspects of) the situation and how you normally would have acted?

Second, what do you think your moral exemplar (whom you chose in your first writing assignment and presented during the first tutorial: Kobe Bryant) would do? (About 250 words).

Third, describe what you can learn from your moral exemplar in this context. Explain in which way thinking about what your moral exemplar would do can help you out in situations like this? (about 150 words) The idea here is that you reflect upon reflecting upon your exemplar changed your behavior. If it did not at all, then it would be best to explain why that is the case.

*First writing assignment

Mamba the Hero

Kobe Bryant, The Black Mamba, the genius on the basketball court was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia. He started his NBA career right after high school with Los Angeles Lakers in 1996. Bryant was one of the best players in the whole NBA history. But this was not the only success in his life. Bryant was known as a person who did not do things halfway; at the same time, he was able to manage his abilities and ambitious character in the pursuit of morally good purposes. Hence, besides being an outstanding sportsman Bryant was also a great philanthropist, a devoted father, and a loving husband. I strongly believe that Bryants character traits such as generosity, helpfulness, sincerity, devotion, and persistence make him an admirable moral hero.

The best indicator manifesting the distinctive moral character of Bryant is that he is the founder of a charity institution: The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. This is not a typical task undertaken by professional sportspeople. Bryant Family Foundation was dedicated to enhancing the lives of young people and their families who need support. This shows us that philanthropy was so important for him that he did his best in order to make it a permanent component of his life. Besides the financial support provided to the families in need, he spent a considerable amount of his time motivating young people to be active in sports. He volunteered for various sports campaigns mainly related to young people, for example, the Boys & Girls Club of America, which is hosting basketball camps. This effort of Bryant had a positive social impact on the life of youth. Bryant was also the official spokesman of a children charity whose name is After-School All-Stars. This institution provided after-school programs to more than 70,000 children. We also know that the support of cancer researches and socio-economical programs for the homeless were Bryants other charity activities. It follows that Bryant was very sensitive and sincere towards all types of needy indigent people, and for him, generosity and helpfulness were not just instruments to gain popularity however, they were among his main duties. So Bryant shares his ambition, his success, his positive perspective of life, and his wealth not only with his beloved children and wife but also with everybody he could reach, as a real hero would do.