Ethics
Ethics, from Britannica, is the discipline that is concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and wrong.
I always prided myself as someone with spotless ethics, which always finds a way to stand on the higher moral ground. Pride may also be why I overlook blindspots in my character. Why is it difficult to admit you are wrong about something, to ask for help when in difficulty, to rely on others?
In middle school, a friend whom I consider close to me and character-wise we were matching had an incident. Our school policy restricts bringing valuable items such as smartphones, yet she brought one as she lived far from school so most of the time comes home late. School's disciplinary body did a random check at that time as they saw phones as threats to focus and learning. One time during a particular class with a very strict teacher, her phone rang. As our places in the classroom were quite close, I was called along with her in order to snitch or go forward as the owner of the phone.
Instantly, panic rose. What to do — throw my friend under the bus? But it was her fault to bring the phone and not put it on silent mode. Stand with her and not break, so show support? That was a dilemma for me and still today I think: was it such a big deal, or did I outgrow the issue within myself?
My course of action was the following: immediately, in a cold way, tell my friend that I will not stand with her and risk disciplinary action. I will deny, deny, deny any involvement. Did I hear a ringtone? No, I was focused on the lesson. Did you see her use a phone in class? I was paying attention in class, so no.
My friend admitted to having a phone and got it confiscated. She was hurt, but I don't know if it was because of me or the phone. After the school year, she got it back.
All this story is to say: what would have been morally right? Stand with her? Admit that she had the phone and find a way to get it back after? Was I wrong for thinking of myself above all?
Or in the end, what I thought was a dilemma was just me thinking I lived in a drama?