January 20th, 2014
Chapter 1 of Media Ethics: Issues & Cases provided a great view into the depths of ethical decision making by investigating five different philosophical principles that help individuals figure out what to do in an ethical dilemma. All of the principles are supremely valid in their guidelines, but the principle that makes the most sense to me is communitarianism. I believe that, often times, individuals don't realize how much their personal decisions affect the "bigger picture". In my own opinion, I feel that the best way to better others, our society, and ourselves is for individuals to realize that the political and social issues of today need to always be debated with the wellbeing of the entire community in mind. In a sense, this can be tied back to the two questions that Patterson and Wilkins say should always be asked in contemporary ethics: "What duties do I have, and to whom do I owe them?" and "What values are reflected by the duties I've assumed?" (3) Essentially, these questions will push individuals to think more about the overreaching effects of the decisions they make.
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