Ethics in personal writing

Ethics in Personal Writing and Taking Liberties: The Ethics of the Truth depicts how two women of different races, background and class can be connected on a similar issue. Dickerson and Ung explain (their connection) how personal experiences have led them to make radical decisions and cross ethical boundaries. Seeking justice for her assaulted nephew, Dickerson admits, “I had to lie through my teeth to get this story.”(185) While facing a family dilemma as well, Ung claims, “in the narrative of Lucky Child, I claim my sister’s story as my own- an imaginative premise.” (Ung 187)

It would be dishonest of me to say I agreed with all of their actions. I do not. I believe both Dickerson and Ung could have used other methods rather than lies, regardless if it was for a cause.  Also, despite letting her family read her memoir drafts, I did not like how Dickerson was reluctant to let anyone read her drafts or change her family-inspired writings, “tell me what bothers you and I’ll think about it. I made no promises.”  Her family members had the write to an opinion if they believed to be portrayed incorrectly or biased in the writings. Rather than admitting the possibility of an error, Dickerson gives reasons to her defense, “I believe it’s condescending only if you think there’s something wrong with the way people talk.” (186)

I have always been family oriented. More than once I have found myself stating that nothing matters more to me than my family. I liked how this was the case with both writers, “my allegiance to them [her family] trumped my allegiance to journalism” (Dickerson 186-187); “whatever I achieve is shared with my family, Lucky Child has been, from the outset, our collective achievement.” (Ung 188)

I could easily relate to these women. I would not be human if I said my life has been all about rainbows and butterflies. I have also experienced harsh times and believe, as an old Proverb says, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” I still do not agree with their lies, but I think Dickerson and Ung had noble intentions at heart, to discover the truth behind a crime and be a voice for the forgotten Cambodian women. They were misunderstood by others, “some of my non-writer friends thought the idea of writing about the guy who had shot and paralyzed my nephew was horribly exploitative” (Dickerson 185); “Some Khmer people told me: Let the dead stay buried.” (Ung 187) 

At times, I wished I could have changed certain circumstances my family was going through, but all I could do was write documents or letters that could help ease the problem.  Although I have not faced grave experiences as the writers (which I must point out seemed like plots to Drama films), I relate the most with how their families’ experiences enabled them to go the extra mile as they could, through their writing.

Reference: Dickerson, Debra. “Ethics in Personal Writing” And Ung, Loung. “Taking Liberties: The Ethics of the Truth.”Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writer’s Guide form the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. New York: Plume, 2007. Print.