A MATTER OF ETHICS

Episode #68 · Written by Russ Winterbotham · Narrated by Scott Miller

Homer Hopkins lives carefully. He teaches chemistry, keeps his habits modest, and believes that certain lines should not be crossed, even when no one is watching. When a tempting career opportunity appears, it already strains his sense of balance. Then a visitor arrives who treats his rules as optional—and his home as negotiable.

The situation escalates without violence or threats. Instead, it tightens through embarrassment, social risk, and the fear of being misunderstood. Homer finds himself defending ideas that suddenly sound fragile when spoken aloud. Each explanation reveals how isolated his values may be, and how easily they can be dismissed by people with power.

A Matter of Ethics uses wit and discomfort to examine what happens when integrity collides with reward. The story’s tension comes not from danger, but from choice. Homer must decide whether principles are anchors or obstacles, and whether abandoning them would actually make life simpler—or merely emptier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Russ Winterbotham published dozens of science fiction stories across major genre magazines of the mid-twentieth century, including Astounding Science Fiction, Planet Stories, and Thrilling Wonder Stories. His work frequently centers on professionals whose technical knowledge is less challenged than their personal convictions.

Rather than focusing on large-scale catastrophe, Winterbotham favored social pressure, moral tension, and quiet reversals of expectation. A Matter of Ethics exemplifies this approach, pairing a modest domestic setting with a decision that reshapes a life. It stands as a concise example of his ability to extract science fiction’s biggest questions from its smallest moments.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to A Matter of Ethics by Russ Winterbotham — a vintage science fiction story where personal rules collide with ambition and unexpected pressure.

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