Ethan Bauer
Stacey M Burleson
Ethics 2306
August 3, 2024
How I Met Your Mother Ethical Egoism Narrative
How I Met Your Mother Is a 2000s situational comedy which may not exactly seem like
the most abundant examples of ethical theories, but with the show being all about the
relationships that Ted and his friends have in New York, there is always many ethical dilemmas
that are shown throughout the series. The character that I would like to focus on most is
Marshall, as he is the main character in the scene that I selected to represent ethical egoism.
Though Marshall is very altruistic throughout the series he does know when to employ the use of
ethical egoism. He is a staunch anti-pollution lawyer that believes that it his life’s duty to make
sure that the planet is around for when his kids are grown up so they can also cherish it.
In the scene I selected Marshall gets into an argument with his boss at the firm that he
works at about when he would be needed for working. Mr. Cootes believes that Marshall should
come in after hours when he is with his family to help out with the law firm stating that “mother
nature does not take a night off”( Thomas, Craig, and Carter Bays, Season 7, episode 15).
Marshall then says that if this is how it will be then he will quit his job. After another character
gets Mr. Cootes to have fun again he then agrees with Marshall that they should be able to
cherish the things that love to do without overworking themselves for the environment.
In this scenario if Marshall would have been altruistic, then he would be unhappy and Mr.
Cootes would have kept on working his employees and himself to exhaustion, but since Marshall
used the idea of ethical egoism to put his foot down where he drew the line with his own
interests, they are both better of because of it.
Works Cited
Thomas, Craig, and Carter Bays. “How I Met Your Mother.” Season 7, episode 15, 6 Feb. 2012.