The term "ethics" derives from the Greek word "ethikos", which comes from the Greek word "Ethos". "Ethos" usually refers to a community's common values and guiding ideals, their "character". For example, the culture of the United States maintains a strong national pride and patriotism for its military. So what we understand as ethics was originally used to describe the shared beliefs of a society. Today, our understanding of ethics is slightly different as we incorporate other influences such as individual and spiritual. Ethics of modern society mainly inquires as to what conduct is considered good or bad and how we should live. Essentially, what is considered to be ethical or "good" is highly if not totally dependent on the context and social ideology.
The exponential advancement of interconnection within our society and way of life, albeit mainly through technology, makes it important to look at how our morals have changed and continue to. Access to information has a huge influence on our perceptions of life. What we as individuals understand about the world is largely controlled by our culture and the flows of information within its structure. We have more channels of communication than ever before via the internet, radio, and TV. While the internet is becoming the more popular and dynamic platform for information, TV broadcasts are still very powerful on public perception. In the US, the majority of our mainstream media networks, this includes nearly everything seen on TV, are owned by 6 corporations. The concentration of control over such a wide range of information distribution can be dangerous in a society that properly functions with educated and informed citizens. Privately-owned media companies in our society aren't exactly held accountable for their political and social bias or the skewing of facts in favor of an agenda. Inspired by private interests most corporate owned media has a motive behind the rhetoric and dialectic being presented.
Our modern media is obsolete in the way it operates with a subtle top-down structure. Most information is filtered down to the masses, diluted with handpicked facts, bias, and many times outright lies. As we move toward a much more horizontal exchange of info where everything is on the table and up for scrutiny without censorship, its still fun to look at the deceptive tactics still used today.
Ethics, or what is deemed good or bad is entirely subjective. As information will be more well received depending on how well it aligns with one's ideology. This being known, we should strive for objectivity in news reporting. Empirical evidence and facts should be the top priority, a notion of truth should be the epitome of communication. My understanding of an ethical persuasion violation based on what I've experienced and know is an intentional suppression of truth.
Thoughtful here. Nice writing style.
ReplyDeleteBe careful of the nature of some of your assertions. How does the advance of technology make it "important" to see how our ethics change? Do you suggest that the advance of technology is the motive for that change? I would certainly agree that the consolidated control of most mass media outlets by very few corporate boards is alarming. When we get to mass media in our class, we will examine a theory called "Agenda-Setting" which explains how public attention, although not exactly public morality, is set by what is consumed in the media. If you, as an editor, make the decision to run with "story X" as your headline instead of "story Y," you are setting an agenda - but are you, as you suggest, intentionally suppressing truth?
Also, rememeber that professional media are just that: professional. This means profit-driven. If an editor or TV producer doesn't get the public to pay attention, they lose their job. Thus, the individual's livelihood depends much more on generating attention than providing the public with "empirical evidence and facts." This might seem disappointing, but it's reality - and that's what makes classes like ours so important.
Good stuff here! Keep working.