Truth is integral to communication because we, as rational beings, depend on it to make informed decisions.

I’ve learned in class that truth-telling is essential for us rational human beings to make informed decisions. From the choice we make comes our will to tell the truth (or vice versa). We say journalists have this obligation to the public to deliver the truth. We also say that journalists should bear in mind that any inaccurate or untruthful information will violate an audience right to truthful information. In the film Shattered Glass, journalist Stephen Glass violated not only truth- telling but also a number of ethical principles. For one, Stephen Glass fabricated stories. At times, even if his stories were true, he fabricated his sources making it partially made up – still, an act of dishonesty. This act of dishonesty or giving of information while believing it to be untrue falls under the concept of lying. A lie communicates some information and the liar intends to deceive or mislead though he believes that what he is 'saying' is not true. All these were attributed by Stephen Glass and in the act he has done. He lied to his editor, to his colleagues, and to these thousands of people reading his articles. We all know for a fact that “...when it comes to journalism, honesty is always the best policy. It is totally unacceptable for a journalist to fabricate anything in an article, as the public believes the lies”.

A commitment to truth demonstrates a respect for persons as equals rather than tools to be manipulated.

"I loved the electricity of people liking my stories. I loved going to story conference meetings and telling people what my story was going to be, and seeing the room excited. I wanted every story to be a home run”, Stephen Glass said in an interview with Steve Kroft of CBS – this could have made us believe that, first, Stephen Glass’ excessive hunger for success compelled him to create fiction and to tell lies in order to be liked. According to the film, Stephen Glass grew up in a strict family. Glass said his parents always wanted him to go to law school. Such expectation might have definitely influenced Glass, making him set unrealistic goals for himself and eventually fabricating stories just to be recognized. However, coming out with articles that are entirely or partially fictitious and presenting them as facts demonstrate self- interest on the part of the journalist.

Second, we can also think that it was because of the pressure that was set before him. Magazine and newspaper companies require deadlines. Journalists were demanded to submit article in specific dates. Glass might have been pressured to write, write, and write anything that interests him though it was not completely real.

And lastly, the apparent competition (to get scoops and be the first one to present them in public) among journalists today, might have caused Glass to produce something noteworthy and with big impact to its audience. We can say that his eyes are all for the public that he wanted to produce something pleasing to its readers. Yes, he must be the youngest in the pool of journalists at The New Republic magazine, it’s good to have competency but having said so do not permit him to tell a lie.

Truthfulness in communication builds trust.

In spite of Glass's reasoning for his lies, there are two big ethical issues at stake: credibility and honesty. He did not only diminish his own credibility, he also endangered the credibility of The New Republic, the magazine where he worked. The New Republic had to make great efforts to regain its integrity that includes making a public apology and rechecking all of the facts in each of Glass's published articles.

Aside from that, the magazine had to bear scrutiny from its competitors. Imagine a prominent person placed in a small empty dark room for interrogation – that’s how the magazine was treated after the incident. Remember our lesson in truth-telling: the persons lied to (in this case the readers) were not fully informed about their possible courses of action. They may develop an apprehension and they may start questioning the veracity of every occasion or happening they read in the newspaper or heard over the news. Alongside with it, colleagues lied to (in this case Caitlin and the rest of writers at The New Republic) might lose their trust on you. Editor Charles Lane once said "They [journalists] hate being lied to. They hate it because it is wrong. They hate it because it thwarts the purposes of a free press. And they hate it because it makes them look bad to publish something that later turns out not to be right.”