I thought the reflections included after the anecdote offered valuable perspectives on what one might do had they been in this position. First, I do not want to dismiss how difficult it is to speak up or stand against someone of higher authority. Especially in Susan’s position, she should feel entitled to be rewarded for her hard work in obtaining the internship and going through the added stress of relocating. However, I feel that it is difficult to justify accepting an ethically dubious task, especially within the scope of an internship where your commitment to the job is temporary and will likely not result in you facing a large financial burden (like losing a full-time job as a more independent adult might). Just as there are risks with rejecting Mr. Moon’s offer with the work and cultural conflicts that were mentioned, I’d argue there is a greater long-term risk in accepting. I think that compromising your values for the sake of work is extremely dangerous and that instead, one should find a company whose values align with theirs.
I think that the first perspective made a valuable point in that that an internship is like an “extended interview” and that evaluating should go both ways. From my experience working internships, I’ve learned that it is important to recognize your value as a resource to a company, and that we are offering as much to the company as they are offering to us. Because of this, I would encourage people to reject their authorities exploiting them at the cost of their values.
