Ethical dilemma is a conflict between alternative compromises a

Ethical dilemma is a conflict between alternative compromises, a choice between options that may provide undesired outcomes a complex situation requiring a choice to be made. I believe that each person will face countless dilemmas and the response made shapes and guides our lives. While some dilemmas can be met with multiple solutions and not create too big of a different outcome; more serious situations will send life into a totally different direction. The motivation behind decision making will vary by individual influences, perceptions and experiences.

Each decision is a personal choice made in order to benefit ones future existence, this will depend on the current environment and culture context. To sort out these complex situations our decision making process must reflect our personal morals and values.

My personal ethical dilemma situation occurred when I was sixteen years old, a junior in high school, in a 2 year long relationship, became pregnant. This was a major impact on our lives from the first moment.

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While my boyfriend and I were frightened of the unknown ahead, we were always sure that we were to become a family. My son was born in the middle of the year 2000, this was a point in American culture when teen pregnancy was on a decline while the abrotion rate was unchanging. Seeking compassion, answers and knowledge about the options for teenage parents was a daunting process and created uncomfortable situations to bare. A moral presence laid heavily on our shoulders when facing this situation. The thought of continuing a pregnancy and being parents while teenagers was completely unacceptable in our society and a total waste of our individual opportunities for accomplishments, it would be a real disappointment to our personal community.

The most difficult option being pressed from the suggestions of those modern feminst minds were to abort this baby, even offering funding the procedure. While the religious view would never allow termination of pregnancy, this would never be discussed as an option from religious support. While the continued dismissing of caring on with a 'normal' life as an outcome of starting our family so young. The burdens placed on our shoulders from the necessary responsibilities would be too great for those our age and would indeed impact our child resulting in an unfit childhood and misdirected family, this outcome would not be acceptable and approved of by our community as a final decision in our ethical dilemma of life.

Reasoning between the facts would prove difficult without unbiased support; however, having others with their own personal agenda to push made it difficult to find our own truth of the situation. If we listened to every piece of advice offered we would still be just as confused and even less sure of our abilities. From the very moment we found out we were pregnant, we just felt that we were a family and that the toughest battle would be having to prove our ability to every other person in the world. We understood that this was not something to take lightly, the responsibility to provide for another human being and build an environment for them to flourish in and learn from was the utmost important task of a lifetime and we were being honored with this gift so early in our own lives, it was a lot to grasp. We felt that this was our baby and we were a family to provide the support and nurturing for this child to develop into a wonderful person. Although others were not supportive and attempted to talk us out of keeping our child inorder to prevent us from making what they thought would be a mistake, we did not listen to the negative worries, we recognized the sacrifice of not living like irresponsible teenager and now placing another beings priorities over our own wants, but the decision to not have an abortion was very matter of fact for me. Ironically I was raised by a single mother who was a very strong supporter and advocate for abortion, she was so matter of fact that was the proper course of action and appauled that I would actually consider keeping the baby, she was adamit about her preferance and we were able to agree to disagree and end our relationship over my decision. This is something that our son will never be aware of, that somehow from his creation he will never have a relationship with his maternal grandparents as they were unable to evolve and accept decisions out of their expectations. With all of this stacked against us we still felt confident in our reasoning for taking this course of action during our ethical dilemma, we took away the rationality of how we would afford this, how we would find a place to live where we will turn for support and community. We followed our emotions and knew what was right for us, what we could live with, we knew that we were determined to be together, we were hard workers and devoted to our love, now we were to be a family.

We were forced to make a decision with socially unacceptable outcomes and we choose the outcome we wanted to live with and what we felt would be the most prosperous overall. We were, in a sense being authentic to our true selves, accepting of the weight of our opportunities and responsibilities to participate in our freedoms. This could be said for either option, depending on the view of the parents, this is a very individual decision that could have either option as the best outcome depending on the unique specifics of this situation per individual. As long as the person facing the decision is honest with the personal truth inspiring them and not in bad faith, following a path set out by others to stay within the expectations and social norms of society, will they make the correct decision. In the existentialists view, a human is viewed as more than simply a part of a system, an action to be completed, but actually as a person allowed to be thinking, feeling, living as an individual human being with the ability to follow personal wishes and wants without the pressure to fall into a predesigned order and complete only what is expected of you by others, to allow you to build your own life, I believe this is what we did, we practiced free will to create our own life; following an individual path to an unknown future, rather than take the path preselected for us and not ask any questions or make any changes. We attempted to pursue our own future.

The freedom to make either choice is the opportunity that we have been given, although either outcome would not be ideal, it was still an option to face. Rather than being in a culture with only a single outcome and no options offered as in those practicing cultural relativism, we were supported in our decision simply by being offered the chance to make a choice at all. Having moral norms based on what is acceptable in the surrounding society and not any other idea of other ways to work out the situation lead to a single direct path to follow, a single objective truth to the way of life. While it would depend upon the culture lived in to predict just how to handle a teenage related pregnancy. For example in Liberia, half of the teenage girls are pregnant while in the U.S only 10% of the female teens experience a pregnancy. Say the culture was predominantly prone to start young families and having a child under twenty years old was common, the society norms would allow and accept the possibility of welcoming a baby while still a teenage child themselves. However, in our society of Northern California, U.S., during the year 2000, teenage pregnancy was on a decline while abortion was being supported on all sides, politaically, institutional and parentally, I fear that we would have been pressured to submit to the norms of our society, end the pregnancy and move forward with our lives as to be expected until the appropriate time in our established lives to have children. The expected outcome takes away the opportunity for choice, the freedom to even wonder what other options are possible, even if not welcome at least they are able to be explored. While living with a cultural relativist view the path of life would lead us in the direction chosen by society without our awareness to ask for more freedom of choice.

The wondrous thing about opportunity is that we have watched our son blossom into a courteous, respectful, bright and aware young man, he is currently attending his second year at University of Portland, double majoring in Political Science and Economics, with a devotion to motivate more citizens to participate in voting and speaking up for the unheard. He is an incredible kid and a thoughtful brother with a big heart for change. One regret that I have always had, was that when we learned we were pregnant we were immediately on the defense of our decision, we had to justify and explain all of our reasons for continuing with the pregnancy, we never had the chance to express how overwhelmed and frightened we felt. At any age, to become pregnant unexpectedly requires compassion and support to adjust to the sudden changes. When facing a world of doubt, sometimes you only have stubborn love to hold onto.