Yuzuki’s Career Choice
Yuzuki’s career choice case raises questions about ethical egoism, promises, and professional responsibility. Yuzuki is a graduating electrical engineering student who accepts the job with the IRS after not hearing back from Google, her dream employer. Before she signs the written contract to start work for the IRS, Google offers her a better-paying job she would much rather take. From an ethical egoist perspective, Yuzuki should choose whichever option is best for her, but even that answer is not obvious, since backing out of the IRS job could damage her reputation or create long-term costs. The main question of the case is whether Yuzuki is morally permitted to focus only on her own interests, or whether she must also consider the harm her decision may cause to the IRS, the recruiter, and other applicants. This case also highlights the weakness of ethical egoism as a general moral theory: if everyone acts only for themselves, the results may be worse for everyone.