Research Ethics

In one of the first episodes of "The Spin Crowd" Command PR's CEO Jonathan instigates an ethical dilemma regarding one of his employees. He informs Erica that her lips are too small and that she should get lip injections, that the appointment has already been set up and paid for.  Slightly confused by this odd request of her boss, Erica goes to the appointment with one of her co-workers from Command PR. But when she arrives the appointment, the doctor notifies her of another option she has which is to get temporary lip injections that would only last a couple hours. Erica didn’t want to get real lip injections. After all, it was an outrageous thing to demand of an employee.

Erica decided she would be fine with getting the temporary lip injections, and went through with it. When Erica reports back to work to talk to Jonathan he notices her new lips and tells her how good they look. Erica then informs him they are “not real lip injections” and that they will only last a few more hours. Jonathan immediately gets very angry and tells her how “it’s embarrassing” to him that she would do that. He then tells her how “homely” she is and that she needs them. He continues to say, “this is Hollywood, you gotta step it up!” Jonathon’s assistant, Simon overhears the conversation and is baffled by it. Simon remarks how “ludicrous.” This whole scene can be watched in this youtube video

Jonathon clearly does not understand his boundaries especially as a CEO of a company. His request of Erica to alter her face with plastic surgery is unheard of. That is something you just don’t do.  There is difference between right and wrong, and what Jonathan is asking of Erica is so wrong on some many levels, especially in a professional work environment. It is unfair that Erica even had to deal with this sort of issue. She didn’t do anything wrong to deserve this public embarrassment. Jonathan is the boss; he should know better.