What is right for me is not necessarily right for thee — an everyday story of moral dilemmas
One of my guilty pleasures — well, one that I am happy to share with the world — is that I am a regular listener to a BBC radio soap opera. The Archers, an everyday story of country folk, is the longest running soap in the world. I can even justify my habit, as it occasionally provides inspiration for an article, because the writers are pretty good at capturing human behaviour and decision making. From highbrow to pulp literature, the dramatic value of moral dilemmas is without doubt.
Recently, one of the plotlines has been producing rich pickings in this respect. The dramatis personae are Police Constable Harrison, his wife Fallon, their friend Alice, her new boyfriend Harry, and Harrison’s boss, Inspector Norris. Here is how things unfold.
An everyday story of country folk moral dilemmas
Harrison arrests Harry when he attempts to drive while drunk, and discovers he also has a prior driving ban for the same infraction. He is worried for Alice’s and her young daughter’s safety, as they might get into the car with someone who is unfit to drive. Harrison issues an ultimatum: Harry must confess to Alice, or he will tell her himself. Harry refuses, and threatens to report him for breach of police rules of confidentiality…
