Employment Opportunity

 

Part I: A Dilemma

Gerald Wahr was not prepared for such a sudden turn of events. He was scheduled to complete his degree in chemical engineering in June. He planned to return to help his parents run the family farm right after graduation. However, in early May his father became seriously ill, and it was evident he would have an extended, expensive stay in the hospital. Gerald’s mother and his older brother could continue to operate the farm as long as they could manage the bills. But without an additional source of income, the family would soon begin defaulting on the farm’s mortgage payments. The best hop for saving the farm would be for Gerald to find employment as an engineer.

Since Gerald had expected to return to the farm, he had already missed many opportunities for job interviews. He would have to work quickly. After an intensive search, only one solid opportunity surfaced. Pro-Growth Pesticides, Inc. would be on campus next week to interview candidates for a supervisory job requiring a degree in chemical engineering.

Gerald certainly is academically well qualified for the job. However, there is a hitch. The Wahr farm uses strictly organic methods; Gerald’s family has always opposed the use of pesticides. In fact, Gerald’s father is noted in the area for his outspoken views about this and Gerald admires this in his father. As a young child he often proudly announced that he wanted to grow up to be just like his father. Harold Wahr, however, had different ideas about this. A high school dropout, Harold advised young Gerald to further his education. "Without a college degree," he told Gerald, "you’ll be as ineffective as I am. You have to fight fire with fire. If you really want to show those pesticide folks a thing or two, you’ve got to be able to talk their language." So, Gerald decided he would go to college and study chemical engineering.

Gerald’s studies have done nothing to shake his conviction that organic farming is best. Quite the contrary. He is now more convinced than ever that the pesticide industry is not only harming the environment generally, but farm products in particular. Despite this, should he go for the interview with Pro-Growth?

 

Part II. Conversations With Friends

At first Gerald rejects the idea of going for the interview. He thinks of it as a matter of integrity. How can he work for a company that researches, produces, and markets the very products he and his family have so long opposed? However, his friends counsel him otherwise. Here are some of their arguments. How might Gerald respond to them?

Ellen: Look, if you don’t go for the job, someone else will. The job won’t go away just because you stay away. So, the work’s going to be done anyway. Your refusing the job won’t change a things.

Bob: Right! Furthermore, you need to look at this from a utilitarian point of view--the greatest good for the greatest number. If you don’t go for the job, someone else who really believes in pesticides will--and that’s going to make tings even worse! If you take the job and aren’t gung ho, that might just slow things down a little.

Dan: Besides, you might be able to introduce a few reforms from the inside. That won’t kill the pesticide industry, but it might make it a little bit better--certainly better than if some zealous pesticide nut takes the job.

Ellen: So, it’s pretty clear what to do. All things considered, you ought to go for the job. It’s your only real chance to save the farm; and if someone else gets the job, Pro-Growth will cause even more harm. You can’t be a purist about these things. It’s not a perfect world, you know.