Water.
It
rejuvenates, hydrates and cleanses our body. It can heal, baptize and nurture
our human ecology. But water can also kill us.
The
subtle weapon to drown a person, does not rationally pair up to its own scientific
law. The compound H2O is a universal solvent. Conversely,
the value of water differs as much as the ethics of well water.
In
Mesopotamian mythology, bodies of water are associated with deities. One key
focus is the worship of water gods from holy wells and springs. In Mecca, Saudi
Arabia, Muslims believe the Well of Zamzam to be a contemporary miracle for the
water never runs out. It is also sold as bottled water. The demand tends to grow
higher during the month of Ramadan.
In
May of 2011, a BBC London investigation found high levels of arsenic in bottled
Zamzam, and so the UK banned all imports. The Saudi Arabian government prohibited
the commercial export of Zamzam from the kingdom. They have stated that the
well water was tested by the Group Laboratories of CARSOLSEHL in Lyon, licensed
by the French Ministry of Health for the testing of drinking water. They
reported that the level of arsenic in Zamzam water taken directly from its well
source is lower than the maximum permitted by the World Health Organization.
The
UK ban has received mixed reactions from the Muslim community. For within the
Islamic faith it is viewed as a generated source of God. The demand to make
replicate water would appear as an unethical action. “Science and certainty are
not synonymous, despite our tendency to blur the two” (Patterson & Wilkens, page16). This is a current day
dilemma in which the science of water outweighs the ethics of its symbolism. “Life
in the 21st century has changed how most people think about issues,
such as what constitutes a fact and what does or does not influence moral
certainty” (Patterson & Wilkins, page 15).
It
is always shocking to read an illogical article especially about unknown
contaminant water sources. In the last module blog “Poland Spring 100% Water”,
I discovered facts and misinformation about its parent company Nestle Co.
According to Fast
Company Magazine in 2006, Americans
spent 15 billion dollars in bottled water. This world trend can be proven
through global sales reports. Lebanon has one of the highest rates of consumers
per capita and in the Arabian Peninsula there is more than seven popular brands
of water. In Pakistan the spread of contaminated water led to a need of urban
families buying home delivery water services. Bottled water was made famous by
one of the largest marketing campaigns in Pakistan history undertaken by Nestle
Corporation. That’s right ladies and gentlemen. My archenemy and Poland Spring bottle
water killer eventually began selling Coca Cola, Pepsi and Evian to Pakistan.
This
module’s lectures, readings and CM502 had shown me that “rationality is the key”
(Patterson & Wilkens, page 4) component in ethical decision-making. After my discovery that the
bottled water industry earns billions a year throughout the world, I find it
incredible that these two nations would not know the location of a contaminant
water source. The UK should have regulations in place to monitor all food and
beverages. I now understand Mill’s acknowledgment of “the good of an entire
society had a place in ethical reasoning” (page 11). The Saudi Arabian Authorities
decision to not export has caused more fake holy water makers and more
believers wanting to celebrate their faith.
My
decision-making choice would be to spread awareness of non-truths. I would like
to see more Communitarian action news articles. I would support the start of a
new fact reporter position called, “journal lawyer”. The banishment of Zamzam
water sounds like the parable of the Garden of Eden. For some the truth is unknown and for others
the ethic is clear.
Work
cited:
Patterson
P. & Wilkens L. Media Ethics Issues
& Cases 7th Edition, McGraw Hills New York 2011
Links
research reference:
Wikipedia
Internet
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