Ben Capobianco

Dr. Cooper
Senior Seminar
Ethical Credo
02/16/2016
Ethical Credo

In order to engage in any form of effective communication, it is

absolutely critical to understand and delineate your personal beliefs,
values, and goals. As a Communication major, I have spent 4 years
studying the art of communication from many different angles. I have
spent class time, and engaged in reading and research dealing with
how to communicate on an interpersonal level. I have read
philosophers and sociologists studies on how people interact within
communities. I have examined the power of words themselves. No
matter how much you study academic communications, whether you
are a PhD or an undergraduate, youre knowledge is useless without an
ethical credo. The purpose of my ethical creed is to create a system of
operations by which I will know how to rhetorically engage with the
world around me. My ethical credo will address the ways in which
three particular virtues guide my actions as a communicator. The
guiding values behind my personal ethic of communication are,
integrity, empathy, and courage.

First, I will address the virtue of integrity. Integrity is a commonly

used word, almost to the point of depreciation. I argue that it is much
like fine china. Consider a family that owns a set of fine china reserved
for special occasions. The family begins by breaking out the china only
for events like retirement parties, or 18th birthdays. After some time
though, the family hosts a dinner party with some close friends, and in
an effort to put the extra touch on the evening, they use the fine china
instead of the common china. More time passes, and they choose to
use the fine china once again in order to spice up a typical dinner at
home. This pattern continues, and before they know it, they have an
engagement dinner to host. They set the fine china but something
doesnt feel quite right. It is not until this moment that they realize
they have used the china so many times for more trivial occasions,
that it no longer carries, in their minds, the same weight of importance.
A very similar thing has happened to the word integrity. Integrity
does not simply mean, being the same in one setting as you are in
another. Integrity is defined as adherence to moral and ethical
principles; soundness of moral character; honesty (Dictionary.com).
The true meaning of this word had been diluted over time. In reality,
very few people possess the virtue of true integrity. I would like to be
one of those people.
Obviously, if integrity refers to soundness of moral character, then
it is a beneficial thing, however; what makes integrity an important

virtue when it comes to communication? Rhetoricians across the world

and throughout history have found success in many different styles of
communication, and some even find success in communication not
grounded in integrity. However, only communicators who are truly
worthy of trust are those with a focus on integrity, and trust is the very
foundation of communication. Words carry with them the potential for
vast power. Words shape how the world views us, and how we view the
world. Words can inspire and empower, and they can just as easily,
destroy and discourage. Words can speak life into the people and
communities around you, and they can speak death as well. It is only
with trust though, that this power can be unlocked. Without trust,
words are lifeless and limp. A person who lacks the trust of their
community makes no difference with what they say because the words
they speak are unreliable, regardless of whether or not they are true.
The boy who cried wolf lacked the trust of the townspeople, and so
even when there was, in fact, a wolf, the townspeople turned a deaf
ear to his cries for help, not out of anger, but because his words carried
no weight. Words hold within them, the potential for boundless power,
but in order to unlock that power, we need trust, and in order to build
trust, we need integrity. Integrity truly is the foundation of how I would
like to communicate. I want to engage with my surroundings as a man
with a strong moral character, and an adherence to honesty. It is
through this type of communication that I can build trust with those

around me and subsequently communicate in an effective and potent

manner.
I believe that in addition to the powerful communication enabled
by a character of integrity, it is inherent in the Christian faith to pursue
Christ like character traits like integrity. Job 2:3 reads And the LORD
said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and
turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you
incited me against him to destroy him without reason." Job is touted
throughout scripture as a true man of God, commended for his
character, of which the very basis is integrity. Regardless of how well,
or eloquently Job speaks, the way in which he communicates is
unarguably representative of admirable and valuable virtues. I would
like to communicate as a man of integrity would; steadfast in my
convictions, and firm in my identity of Christ.
Empathy is the second virtue that I strive to make the foundation
of my communication. Empathy is defined as, the psychological
identification with or various experience of the feelings, thoughts, or
attitudes of another (Dictionary.com). I argue that empathy is one of
the most important virtues for all people to foster within themselves
and those around them. Specifically, empathy is critical to the
rhetorical profile I hope to develop fully. Empathy is not simply being
able to know what someone else is feeling, it is experiencing it

yourself. This distinction is the very definitional foundation of empathy.

Many people guess or extrapolate what people might be feeling, but
few practice empathy. I argue that empathy is both a gift, and a
discipline. Some people possess a more naturally high proclivity
towards empathetic thought, however, I believe that the average
person can live empathetically by practicing the discipline of this
virtue. I personally, dont believe that I have the highest proclivity
towards natural empathy, however, I strive to practice empathy in my
own life as I engage with the world around me. I want to communicate
from a standpoint of actively trying to understand and experience the
feelings of my audience. Regardless or whether or not I am successful
in achieving true empathy, and literally experiencing what someone
else is feeling, the effort itself will produce more Christ-like and
effective communication.
Empathy also represents the Christian value of activism. In the
modern sociopolitical landscape, activism is often characterized
negatively, especially among the conservative evangelical community.
I argue though, that activism is an inherent part of the Christian walk,
and the embodiment of empathy. Christs core character traits clearly
include empathy, not only could He experience the feelings of those
around Him, but He literally took on the sin of the whole world and
experience the pain that everyone else should have. The crucifixion is
the embodiment of Christs empathy for the world. Throughout his life

on earth though, before the crucifixion, Jesus lived a life of activism. He

embraced his empathy for the poor, and the disgraced, and the
diseased, and he actively sought to feed them, and clothe them, and
heal them. Further, Christ sought to make institutional changes. He
went out into the world and spoke on behalf of the voiceless. He
fought as a champion of the oppressed and the marginalized,
condemning the arrogance, and greed or the Pharisees, or the
establishment. Christs life and death is characterized by empathy
embodied by activism. Activism is true empathy, and empathy is true
Christianity. I want these principles to be the guiding forces behind my
rhetorical engagement with the world. I strive to live by and
communicate with empathy.
The third virtue that I seek to make a foundation of my ethical
creed of communication is courage. A concept many people
understand clearly, courage does not require quite the same
definitional specification as integrity or empathy. Instead, courage
requires a clear application. Many atrocities have been committed in
the name of courage. The terrorism of September 11th certainly took
courage on the part of the terrorists; however, their actions possess no
ethical value whatsoever. The value or courage lies in its application. I
argue that courage is the backbone of the previous two virtues Ive
described. Integrity and empathy both require a great deal of courage.
Without courage, a life of integrity or active empathy is impossible. It

takes courage to adhere to a strict moral standard and to live a life of

honesty. It takes courage to try to feel what others are feeling and
subsequently engage in Christian activism as the embodied form of
that empathy. Courage is foundational to a life of effective
communication.
Beyond the ways in which courage enables integrity and
empathy, it is also foundational the very act of building character.
David Brooks writes in his book The Road to Character, Character is
built in the course of your inner confrontation. Character is a set of
dispositions, desires, and habits that are slowly engraved during the
struggle against your own weakness (263-264). The very basis of
character building, lies in the courage to engage in introspective
thought, and disciplined struggle against the weaknesses discovered
within.
Integrity, empathy, and courage are the foundations upon which
I strive to build my ethic of communication. I believe that the fate of
my own life as a communicator rests on my ability or inability to
adhere to these three virtues. I will use this ethical credo not only to
develop into the rhetorical person I hope to be, but to engage with and
actively live out my Christian faith. My ethical credo is as follows: I will
always strive to live a life of integrity, adhering to my moral principles
and living honestly within myself and with those around me. I will
always struggle to truly understand and experience the feelings of

those around me, and embody that empathy in Christ-like activism. I

will live courageously, continuing to fight for what it right, build
character, and communicate effectively.

Works Cited

Brooks, David. The Road to Character. New York: Random House, 2015. Print.