Malcolm in Middle Waterpark

Malcolm in the Middle

Malcolm in the Middle Water Park

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Malcolm in the Middle Water Park

Integrity is never compromising moral beliefs. When a person has integrity they will not be persuaded by others to do things they find to be immoral. A person that has integrity displays good character and shows sincerity in their actions. Integrity is having the courage to do the right thing even in the face of controversy or conflict. People are not considered to immediately have integrity because they display moral decision making on one or two occasions but will establish their integrity over time and after a lot of sound, moral decisions and behaviors. When people make poor ethical decisions it damages their level of integrity.

People with integrity demand respect and creates trust in others (Anderson, 2012). In the episode of Malcolm in the Middle Water Park there are many pivotal moments where cast members could have displayed integrity and failed. In the beginning of the episode it is discovered Dewey has an ear ache on the day they family is going to the water park. The family has been waiting for this trip especially Lois and Hal who desperately need a mini vacation. Instead of delaying the trip which would have been a selfless the two adults decide to go anyway. Despite being devastated Dewey was left at home with a babysitter. The parents did not display integrity in their decision making because their decision was selfish and self serving.

Secondly Hal decided to smuggle a pint of rum into the park despite the fact it was against park rules. A person with integrity does not break the rules and instead understands that alcohol was banned for a reason. Once again Hals actions were self serving and resulted in his family suffering from his poor decision making. People with integrity do not cause harm to others and think of other when making decisions. Hal and Lois's decision to ignore their two sons and concentrate on each other was selfish but not immoral. The couple has a right to time to themselves but they should have left Malcolm and Reese at home instead of unleashing them on the water park. The attendant at the top of the Monster Water ride did not make a sound decision when he pushed the boys down the slide.

The decision by Francis and Spangler to deliberately lose each game of pool that they play against each other had nothing to do with integrity but instead was a power struggle between the commander and the cadet. When people display integrity they do not have ulterior motives and instead act based on what is best for everyone involved. Spangler wanted to see what Francis was up to while Francis was trying to avoid being forced to watch hours of PBS television programming. When Francis purposely lost to Spangler the first time he hurt his ego. When he loses to Francis it is for purely selfish reasons.

Spangler wants to make the cadets suffer. If he wins the pool game they will be forced to spend hours watching mind numbing educational television. Francis does not want to watch PBS but after awhile begins enjoying trying to lose to Spangler no matter the consequences. Integrity is doing what is right because it is the moral choice. Francis rarely makes decisions that are morally sound and rarely display integrity. Spangler is a military soldier but integrity is not one of his strong suits.

When the babysitter dies Dewey is left all alone without adult supervision. Medical personnel, such as EMT’s, have a legal responsibility to take steps to provide assistance to a child. When the dead babysitter was taken from the home the EMT’s or the neighbors should have made arrangements for Dewey or made an attempt to contact his parents at the water park. Instead they all left without making sure Dewey was cared for and as a result he begun t wander the streets.

People with integrity recognize they have a duty to help others especially a small child that has been left alone because the babysitter died. Having integrity is a willingness to step in and provide a hand but this did not happen. The neighbors had to recognize that the rest of the family was not home even if the EMT’s overlooked this fact because they were dealing with a dead body. If this had happened in real life something ad could have happened to the child left alone to wander the streets. Children are vulnerable and have no way to ensure the decisions they will make will be sound. An adult should have stepped in and located Dewey’s parent for him instead of leaving him alone.

Integrity is not something that is seen a lot on the show Malcolm in the Middle. Instead of mothering her children, Lois is more interested in competing with them. It is clear she loves her children but Hal and Lois make many immoral decisions concerning the parenting approach they should take with their children. All of the children on Malcolm on the Middle are disobedient and rarely seem to understand the difference between right and wrong. Integrity is always doing the right thing and making the right choices.

References

Anderson, A. (2012). Success Will Come and Go, But Integrity is Forever. Retrieved December

14, 2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2012/11/28/success-will-come-and-

go-but-integrity-is-forever/

Simmons, J. Malcolm in the Middle: Water Park. (2000). Retrieved December 14, 2014 from

http://malcolminthemiddle.tktv.net/Episodes1/