The oil slick from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig continues to grow to unimaginable dimensions in the Gulf of Mexico, as the giant multinational BP desperately tries to drill a relief well and install giant metal boxes to divert and control the oil flow. It seems almost unfair, as the Wall Street Journal noted Monday, in light of CEO Tony Hayward’s yeoman efforts to change the BP culture after the Texas City refinery explosion. In a way, the situation is a metaphor for the many and varied ethical situations that people and companies encounter.
It remains to be seen whether there is anything involved in Deepwater Horizon beyond the technical failure of equipment. But regardless of how blame is eventually apportioned, BP wants only one thing at this point, literally and figuratively. Whether it is in a valve that is a mile below the surface of the Gulf or in the media and courts, the company is desperately seeking closure.
We have seen this cyclically this spring. Last week it was Goldman Sachs testifying before Congress. It would be hard to say that they were actually testifying to Congress, because neither group seemed to actually connect with what the other one was saying. But it was clear, as it is in virtually all Congressional testimony of this nature, that the only thing Goldman Sachs wanted was to get out of there. Even though it is quite likely that they would win a civil case, and there seems little chance, barring significant revelations, that they would lose a criminal case, I would not be surprised to see a significant financial settlement to provide closure.
Tiger Woods has appeared to put things behind him faster than most, almost through sheer force of personality. But you can be confident that there are personal matters regarding his family for which he is still seeking closure. I am sure he is disappointed to lose the endorsements he has, but there is relief in having sponsors choose one way or another. At least it provides closure.
Of course, closure is not always what it is cracked up to be. Jeff Skilling, Dennis Kozlowski, and Bernie Ebbers all got closure, and sentences exceeding 20 years for their parts in Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom, respectively. Skilling is desperately seeking to undo closure in his case, and the Supreme Court has agreed to review his case on several points, including the failure to be given a change of venue.
For me, May is always a time of closure. There are two groups of students who are important to me, one of which I will never teach again, the other of which I may never see again. It is time to say goodbye, and thanks for changing me. They turn away, tack the sail into the breeze, and go away on adventures far and wide. My moment of influence is done.
I once left a school too early, something I quickly realized after arriving at my new university. It was a place where I taught students as many as six different courses, a place where, at graduation, I handed each one a letter telling them how I had seen them change during my years around them. A plaque still sits on my desk today from the juniors at that school thanking me for touching their lives. A year later I drove back 600 miles to their graduation, seeking closure that remains elusive even today.
And this year my daughter, Katie, leaves home for college. There is so much to say in these last few weeks, so much to appreciate, and remember, and embrace. It is time to come to grips with the fact that my job is largely complete. I want a checklist—did I cover everything? Is she ready? I want closure.
All our kids and grandkids will come home for her graduation, and we will spend five days at the beach in Galveston and celebrate a wonderful young woman, and the joy of being a family that is geographically spread, but with hearts knit together by love.
As I sit and look out at the Gulf and reflect on the blessing it has been to be her father, I will have something in common with BP. Good luck to them. I know a little bit of what it is to need closure.
Indeed, closure seems to provide an overtly sense of satisfaction for most who obtain it. Without closure, uncertainty abounds and people, as businesses do, dislike uncertainty in general. Whether the outcome is favorable or unfavorable, closure allows us to have something in hand instead of a variety of options. Options which have unpredictable outcomes, outcomes that are hard to compare, or options which all lead to an undesired outcome.
In the case of BP, the firm faces a variety of outcomes that could result due to the recent oil spill. Because BP expects an unfavorable outcome out of this mishap, regardless of what avenue they take, BP wishes for nothing more than this to be over. Since punishment seems to be the most likely punishment, the firm would much rather face the consequences now. Resources will no longer be diverted to roads that all lead to the same location, and the company will be able to refocus on their regular operations. Plus the sooner the issue is resolved, the faster management will be able to start working on bringing the stock price back up.
Dr. Shaub, you have impacted each and every student you have ever taught or even talked to for that matter, I have no doubt of that. You are a unique person, not just a professor. I am so thankful to have you teach such a discussion based class as ethics because I had the opportunity to question and converse issues that most classes keep quiet. Thanks for everything you have done and thanks for changing me. I hope you can rest with closure knowing that every student that leaves this class is a better person and more willing to talk about the issues we are confronted with.
Just as Luis Aguirre mentioned, without closure, there is uncertainty. Human beings are simply scared of uncertainty. We must rather know already what awaits us later on. I have to admit that I dislike not knowing how something is going to turn out. Even if it’s going to turn out bad, I’d rather know it by now. That way I can be prepared for what’s ahead of me.
Dr. Shaub, I also want to let you know that you’ve deeply inspired me with your talks and words throughout the class. I can also say that you can rest with closure knowing that you and your class will be remembered forever.
I think we are all seeking closure in some sort of fashion. We seek the closure from relationships that went sour or friends that you have grown apart from. Closure is not always a good thing. We don’t always get the answers we want or the results we are looking for. However, it does help the process in moving on. We are all facing graduation in a week or so. I know I have many friends that will be graduating and some I may never see again. I really hope that that isn’t the case but you never know. I hope that in several years, I will look back at my time here at Texas A&M and remember the good times.
It is interesting how it is human nature to resist change and seek this closure when things are changed. Businesses, too, are change adverse in that they want steadily increasing revenues with no problems from regulators. When an ordeal such as what is ocurring with BP and Goldman Sachs happens, the businesses desire for quick and immediate closure so that analysts and shareholders can quickly get back to the norm.
I feel that you can rest easy, Dr. Shaub, in knowing that everything that could possibly be on your list of “to dos” would definitely be checked off. It has certainly been a pleasure having you as a professor for two important classes during my college career.
As others have said before, I think that people typically search for closure in times of uncertainty, particularly when the uncertainty arises from a difficult situation or in the form of a consequence. It is human nature to want to know what will happen to us, to be sure about the future, and to know for sure whether or not things will be ok. At times when we know that a consequence, whatever it may be, will be undesirable, we want to be able to sit back, survey the damage, and decide where to go from there. We want to regain control of our lives, and businesses are no exception. BP wants closure, to be able to go from here and hope for the best in the future.
Closure is an interesting topic in my opinion. Whether it be from the loss of a loved one or an ended relationship, closure allows us to move on. Without the proper closure something inside of us will feel incomplete. I have experienced not obtaining closure in both of the examples I listed above and it makes moving on a lot more difficult. Gaining closure is a different process for every individual. It may involve a long grieving process, or through writing about the event or by talking to that person face to face. The key is recognizing how to gain closure in your own personal life so you don’t have to carry the baggage of a particular event around with you forever.
For me, closure is more an answer to the question of significance rather than uncertainty. Twice, when I finished my internship and when I returned from my semester abroad, I returned to my “real life” feeling very apprehensive. In both cases, I had created a new life for myself, with new friends and a completely different rhythm and pattern. They both ended so suddenly. It seemed like a weird hiatus in my own life–hazy, like it all could have been a dream.
Both events seemed so unsettled. I felt like if I could have some conclusion about them, like, “From my time abroad I grew in x-and-such way.” or “My internship meant x-and-such to me.” I just wanted some significance from them that I could point out concretely in plain terms.
But real life isn’t like that.
Over time, of course, the feeling went away as I felt more comfortable in my normal life.
I think that is why we have rites of passage, like graduations. It’s a way to mark changes in our lives–to celebrate them. I think it helps us cope with change, so celebrate both the past and the future.
In my opinion, closure is resolution, a resolution to inner conflicts. It’s closes to door to open possibilities and you leave without wondering “What if?” I agree with what Cclark says; that without proper closure, we’re left with an incomplete, unsettling feeling. We wouldn’t be able to move on and it leaves us wondering what could’ve happened and what could’ve changed. There’s a quote I found by Ellen Goodman, pulitzer prize winner and columnist for the Boston Globe, that summarizes what I feel it means to receive closure: “There’s a trick to the ‘graceful exit.’ It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over — and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.”
I believe that HP, Goldman and Tiger want closure for far different reasons than you. These companies want closure in order to get their names out of the negative spotlight. They know that the sooner their issue is resolved the quicker people will forget and they can get back to business. You on the other hand want closure because you generally care about and love people. I have had a great semester in your class and having you as a teacher has in a way given me closure as to learning from the best while here at A&M. You are a great man and my only regret from this semester is that I did not attend more ethics coffees.
This is by far my favorite blog you have written. It is beautifully written and touches a sentiment that I think a lot of graduating seniors are feeling. Closure is the most bittersweet of feelings. Uncertainty, the fear of the unknown is one of the scariest emotions to cope with because possibilities always seem to be exaggerated realities, and its always better the devil we know. Closure bring an end to the suspense and the fear. It marks a chance to move forward and relief from the weight of the uncertainty; we cannot “deal” with hypotheticals. However closure also marks the end of possibility. As we receive our diplomas we are one step closer to “the real world” and one step farther from any lingering childhood dreams of being astronauts and ballerinas. This is not to say that we are unhappy with our decisions but our college (or undergraduate) lives are over and if they weren’t absolutely everything we wanted them to be, its too late now.
As for your daughter, in high school I thought I had a good if not great relationship with my parents, but I have to say moving out was the best thing that ever happened to my relationship with my parents. In the next few years your daughter will come to appreciate the things she once hated (learning dishwashers, not sinks, is where dirty dishes belong.) She will find she is more of you and your wife than you or she could ever have imagined but most importantly she will come to appreciate your rigorous and thoughtful parenting. It is only after we step away that we can see our families as more than mothers and fathers but as men and woman who made conscious decisions and sacrifices in pursuant of our best interests.
You could never be expected to simply take our words for this, but hopefully sooner rather than later your daughter will come home from school and put her dirty dishes away without being asked because SHE prefers it that way and you will begin to see her for the person shes become.
For me, I have had experienced many closures in my life, each of them marked the milestone in my life. An event with good closure is easier to trace back; an event with opening and closure can come to perfection. It allows you to pack up the past no matter how it was, and move on to the next stage. I think I can understand my father’s feeling when he sent me to college after reading this blog. During these four years, I am growing up in every aspect, learning to take responsibilities from all directions, getting ready for independence in order to immerse in the real world. Now I am facing another closure, the closure for my college life. I am very sad that it comes so abruptly and I am so scared that I am not ready for it. As the days counting down, I am getting more nervous and emotional. Tomorrow, Dr. Shaub’s last ethics lecture might also serve as my last class here; I am very glad to have it as my closure for college, because I benefit a lot from this class. I think what I need to do now is to keep a positive attitude for my career; I should feel confident that A&M already prepared me all I needed to face the world.
What a relevant topic to discuss right now, as we move on from this ethics class and this semester. Closure is my way of letting things go, and for me it’s letting them go, so that they don’t consume my life. However, as I leave your class, I don’t want closure; I want to build on what I have learned. I want these thoughts of duties v. consequences to consume my life. Dr. Shaub, this semester, you have taught us so many important lessons that we can take into our lives. I feel so honored to have a professor like you at A&M who truly cares about helping us become the person that we want to be. I feel that after taking this class, I have become one step closer to the person that I want to be, so thank you for your dedication.
Closure is something we all strive for because it is the all encompassing end to a failure, a goal, or anything else. Everything ends at some point and we are constantly moving to that end, in many cases we even rush to get to that end. With closure there is just a relief, in many cases, that the situation is complete but we can’t always get closure and left wanting more. Congratulations on your daughter’s and family’s success, I know it is always a tough time for parents when we leave for college. I don’t know if you will ever have closure with respect to your daughter because you will always be teaching and impacting her life.
I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate what you have done for me and my fellow classmates. You have had a great impact on my life, I will carry the lessons I learned from you and this class forever. Please teach as long as possible and keep doing what you are doing(hopefully at A&M). Thank you.
I can’t say I know what the feeling of ‘closure’ is. Stuff happens and then more stuff happens. The idea of closure seems to focus on the past rather than be forward looking. Sure, it is important to learn from experiences, but to dwell on the past seems irrational. It is only in our capacity to live in accordance with nature in the present. Tiger Woods doesn’t want closure because it doesn’t exist for him; he wants a re-do, he wants to forget.
Coming into this course I really didn’t expect to be as moved in my character as I have been. I can say that I have taken so much from this course as a whole. Dr. Shaub, you have been an amazing professor , and your passon for teaching ignites your students to excel beyond our means. I have never had a professor like you and frankly didn’t know there were any out there. Closure can be a bitter sweet part of life because it shuts one door and opens another. Thanks for helping me to open that next door with integrity and courage.
Closure is difficult. Some see it as getting all the answers we want. We might not get all the answers we search for. We might not ever know why we lost touch with a friend or lost a loved one. We can’t possibly know all the fears we might face. I would define closure as being content not knowing all of the answers. I used to always think the key to closure was beating a dead horse to find out why something happened and how to fix it. In reality, I will probably never know, And there are so many problems that can’t be fixed.
I also think closure to change is just as important. Life goes on, and we all grow up and change. I’ve had to deal with lots of change in the past 4-5 years. I’ve grown up in this town, so I’ve had friends graduate high school and go off to college while I stayed here. I’ve worked at the same place all throughout college, and there have been many people that have come and gone through work. With this being my senior year, many of my friends are graduating, while I will stay here for one more year. It’s hard to get closure to change. There aren’t answers to try to figure out. It’s more of starting and ending different journeys of our lives. Closure is also being content to not knowing what lies ahead.
In life there are many points for closure. Just as it is important to close negative events in our lives, the closure of positive ones are just as necessary. My time at Texas A&M has been a very positive experience, yet in a year that will come to a close and I will move off Houston to work for Deloitte full time. That will also be a time of personal closure where I move away from home for the first time since I grew up in Bryan/College Station.
An example of closure in my life was when I finally decided to give up gymnastics at the age of 11. This was a huge decision for me because I had practiced 6 days a week, 3 hours a day since I was 5. I was a serious gymnast! I had gotten to the point where I had injured my back and decided that I was ready to try other sports. However, I wanted to leave gymnastics on a positive note, not merely quiting because of a back injury. It was my goal to get back to the skill level I had been at prior to hurting my back before I quit. This was a great idea because I felt like I wasn’t wimping out or being weak. I ended gymnastics on a poitive note and will never have to wonder if my back injury was going to be a permenant handicap for me. I went on to have fun competing in other sports.
For starters I really like the play on words with BP “seeking closure”. Next I’d like to say that I really discount 100% of the words Tiger has said since none of them have actually been his own. He’s not sorry, the people who rely on him for income (agent, publicist, accountant) are the really people who are sorry. Tiger is sorry he got caught because he’s concerned more with immortalizing his legacy as a great golfer, and a his “addiction” is only going to blemish that. The only kind of closure that he’s seeking now is him wanting to hear that his name will still be remembered in a century.
Interesting topic considering many of us are approaching the end of our 4th year in college and most of the friends we have made here are moving on. Does this mean that as we near the end of our student life here in College Station, we are all looking for a bit of closure in one way or another? To be perfectly honest I have had a great four years so far and am glad that I have another year to spend at this great university, but I know that by the end of next year I will be ready to move on to the next chapter of my life. Hopefully I will be able to go out on a high note, but I guess that is something that I will have to wait and see if it comes true…
When I was reading this blog, I couldn’t help but think about the airsoft gun wars we’ve had in college. I thought about one of my friends who would rather be shot with an airsoft gun than have it pointed at him. If you take aim at him, he will half-laugh-half-cry, “Gah, I just can’t stand the anticipation!! Just shoot me!” It cracks me up, and I get much more enjoyment just pointing the toy gun at him than actually shooting him.
Anyways, we’ve talked occasionally about conscience throughout the minimester. Once the conscience comes clean and things are brought out into light, we feel so much relief. But before that closure occurs, the anticipation can be unbearable. I think that’s why Romeo Mike decided that he was going to cooperate with the officials. He decided that he was not going to fight anymore, and whatever happened, happened. It can be difficult to take that step, but the freedom and relief that comes with conscience-closure is well worth it.
I couldn’t agree with you more, closure is a very important part of life. But, I do think that there is something that is even more important and beneficial than closure, and that is moving forward. Anytime one door closes another one opens. Personally, I think it is important to see a part of your life come to a close. It is at this moment that we can see the bigger picture and we can grow from the experience. We must learn from the good and the bad, and hopefully we will carry these lessons forward into the next chapter.
I can definitely relate to the topic of closure. Joe mentioned that for some of us, the majority of our friends are going to be moving on and graduating. It is difficult to reflect back and try and check off the “list” of things you wanted to accomplish, and even more difficult to face the items that you cannot check off. To me, this is yet another life reminder of living intentionally from the start, and doing your best to make the most of things each day. As you seek closure, many times what you are reflecting on are the things that are most important. Everyone is different, and these things may be relationships, memories, grades, but what is most important is recognizing those, and striving to achieve them. Then after it is all said and done, you can look back with a clear conscience, knowing you stuck to your values.
From a school year standpoint, it seems the semesters keep flying by faster and faster… Thanks to everyone in class for a great semester, and especially to you, Dr. Shaub for your diligence.
Closure helps us deal with situations in our lives. However, we sometimes seek closure too soon. Life will often throw things at us that we want nothing more than for it to be over. We have all experienced it, we are sitting there with everything crashing down and the only thing we can think of is to wish it wasn’t true. And for everyone that has been in the situation, reality is still waiting for you.
What does that mean for us? Closure allows us to cope, but we must make sure that we have adequately dealt with the situation first. We are all responsible for our actions and we must be ready to face the consequences of what we have done. Once it is dealt with, only then does closure become a good thing.
Sometimes the hardest thing is to realize that the end of a relationship or a time in your life might not really be the end. Many times throughout this semester I have found myself reflecting back on college. I have thought a lot about my friends that are graduating. While this is hard to deal with, it is important to understand that the true friends we have here at college will be our friends forever. Sure, we may not live together ever again, but that doesn’t mean the bond will be broken.
It is interesting how closure works for different people and different situations. For me, closure is something I seek when going through a rough time. You can’t wait for it to end and then try to move on. When it comes to something like college (a good thing), I think the last thing I want is closure. Right up to the day my friends leave, I will want to hang out with them.
Thanks for the semester, Dr. Shaub. It was truly memorable, and you had a deep impact on all of us.