-NiE ,
INTERMEDIATE Honesty
23 AUGUST 2017
9
Bending the truth THESE days, everyone knows you can’t take advertisements at face value – or profile photos on your apps for that matter! There are all kinds of advertisements out there that use Photoshop, misleading words or deliberate omission of certain facts to make their products more exciting and amazing. For example, in 2013, Australian consumers realised that a sandwich company’s “Footlong” sandwiches did not measure up to its 12-inch mark. The sandwich company was quick to retort on its Facebook page that the “Footlong” term was a registered trademark as a descriptive name for its sandwich. It was not intended to be a measurement of length.
NiE Activity 1 Creative thinking
Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Measure ● Organise
● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent
Problem solving ● Question ● Research
● Recreate ● Present
While not all advertisements can be generalised in this category, consumers need to be more conscious of what advertisements are “selling”. In groups of four, select an advertisement from The Star. Analyse it for honesty. Discuss the following points as a group. Prepare notes as each group will take turns to present their findings.
Truthfulness
Trustworthiness
Integrity
A.
Does the advertisement explicitly say anything you think is untrue?
B.
Is it trying to make you believe something that might not be true?
C.
Is it lying by omission, i.e. leaving out important information that would make a difference to you?
D. E. F.
Is it misleading in any way? Does it present any half-truths? On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the advertisement in terms of the following:
Sincerity
Ethics
NiE Activity 2 Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Measure ● Organise
Problem solving
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Brainstorm
● Connect ● Invent
● Question ● Research
● Recreate ● Present
Communicating ● Oral ● Non-verbal
● Written ● Aural
Collaborating ● Listen
● Compromise
● Contribute respectfully
● Attain goal
‘Doctor fostered trustworthy image’ CHICAGO: Three years before dozens of women accused former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, a podcast interview with him captured his views on treating athletes. “We protect our athletes... not just physically but mentally,” Nassar said. “You have to let them know that you care... Let them feel it.” The more than one-hour interview appeared on a December 2013 episode of GymCastic, a podcast popular in the US gymnastics world. Founder and host Jessica O’Beirne now listens to those words in horror. “You can hear how we’re all manipulated,” O’Beirne said in an interview. “I think it’s super important to serve as an example of how predators work.” Law enforcement officials have accused 53-year-old Nassar of using his position with the governing body that sets rules and selects US Olympic gymnasts to sexually assault dozens of athletes and other patients over decades. The Star, Mar 25, 2017
1. What is a phony? 2. Do you consider Nassar a phony? 3. How does dishonesty turn people into phonies?
Explain your answer using Nassar as an example.
4. Why do you think Nassar got away with the heinous acts for so long?
5. To some extent, we are all impostors. We have a
public life and a private life. We change according to demands and circumstances. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
6. What does it mean when you say that a person is “real” or “authentic”?
7. In this next assignment, each member contributes one sign
that has helped him spot a “fake friend”. (This can be based on your personal experiences.) After sharing your experiences, pick one scenario all of you would like to role-play in class. Draft your script and do your best to role-play on an impromptu basis. Act out the scene for your classmates to see. Discuss how many of you have had such experiences. How common are these experiences among people?
We know that many advertisers do their best to pull the crowd in by bending the truth. Are you guilty of doing that, too? Some of us portray ourselves differently in terms of how we look on our profile photographs. Some of us share on social media lifestyles that appear more exciting than they really are. These, too, fall into the category of “false advertising”. Do you think people have a right to portray themselves in a different light? Where do we draw the line? Read the article on the left. Then, tackle the questions that follow in groups of four.
EXAMPLE I met a friend I had not seen in a long time. When I bumped into him, we shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. He then said, “Let’s meet up at a mamak stall sometime!” He dashed off without leaving his contact number. So, did he really mean it?