Ethical fender bender

Uber has a viral ad circulating about a boy and his crush. First, the boy is impatient, but suddenly, the crush comes in. Boy becomes sweeter and more amenable. Furious texting with the driver. Unfortunately, he can't be ferried last (missing his chance to stay with crush longer). When he reaches his destination, the big reveal: his crush is another boy.

So here's an LGBT-targeted ad that tries to both attract that demographic, while at the same time showcasing the corporate values of this unicorn. We are meant to believe that Uber promotes diversity. Well and good, Uber. But meanwhile, what's happening over at corporate headquarters?

Controversy one relates to the sexual harassment complaint filed by employees against Uber management. A software engineer, Susan Fowler, claimed she was harassed by her manager, and even got threatened with a poor performance review after she complained about it to HR. Sporadic instances of lousy company handling of gender issues came and went, leaving me scratching my head at why idiots seem to like roosting in HR. (For the full account, check out www.susanjfowler.com)

Multiple instances of reporting to the HR department didn't work, so engineer Susan left. Unfortunately for Uber, Susan Fowler is a writer and blogger, so the garbage hit the fan as soon as she posted her story on her blog. The press pounced on her story and headlines trumpeted the awful culture inside. The company launched an investigation, but got information from hundreds, (that's hundreds!) of employees about the matter.

The internal investigation is still ongoing, and so we will have to wait while the lawyers do their thing and come up with their findings. Was it really that awful inside Uber? (Since then, more women have come forward and reported their experiences within the belly of the beast).

Controversy two relates to a jaunt in Korea (that's South), where reportedly, Uber executives went to a girlie bar where hostesses carried identifying numbers. No need for me to spell out what this bar could have been, but now that the investigation is going on, insiders don't really want to talk about it. (Needless to say, availing of illicit services isn't really good on the performance review).

So that's what's on deck at the moment. Here we are, delighted with the services of Uber and other ride-sharing services, enamored by the chauffeur-driven car that's such a welcome alternative to smelly cabs. I've actually become addicted to it, ditching driving by myself and cab-riding in favor of Uber convenience.

How, now, do we grapple with our conscience when availing of this wonderful product, when behind it is this disgusting culture of degrading females?

Some consumers have started the movement to delete the Uber app from their phones. A boycott, in other words. Another writer promotes the battlecry #Ubersurvivor, in recounting her own ordeal. Should we, as ordinary citizens and in solidarity with the victims, likewise boycott Uber? Or would this be a case of cutting the nose just to spite the face?

Such a difficult predicament. This is one moral quandary that should be referred to Isabel Dalhousie (the heroine in Alexander McCall Smith's engaging series on ethics in ordinary life).

Perhaps the framework of the discussion would be: what would be the tipping point for this product, that provides safe, convenient transportation to millions of human beings on the planet, before it is rejected? How do we measure the pain of female employees and balance it against the safe passage and comfort of passengers (which could, literally, be saving lives)? Or should we even do this balancing act altogether?

I bet your moral compass won't be able to solve this one easily. Meanwhile, I like the LGBT ad, and am waiting for what Uber does as a company after the investigation is finished. (Call it a suspension of judgment).