In today's technologically advanced society, it is easier than ever to beat the system and illegally download music for free, rather than pay money for the same thing. Most people who participate in illegally downloading music believe that in the long run, it does not hurt the artist's success if some people do not pay for their music. However, if Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative is applied to the situation, then illegally downloading music would directly impact the artist's success.
The categorical imperative states that in order to judge if something is ethical or not it should be applied to a large scale. That is, if everyone were to do it, would the action still be ethical? In the situation of illegally downloading music, if everyone were to do it, then it would become unethical because no one involved in the process of making and producing music would be making money. If no one in the industry is making money from their work, then the industry is going to die out, which in turn, would result in no music.
If the same situation is viewed using John Stewart Mills' principle of utility, the ethics remain about the same. The principle of utility states that a situation is ethical if it provides the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In the situation of illegally downloading music, the population of people downloading music is benefited by the luxury of free music. However, the people involved in making and producing the music, are not benefited because their work is being used without any compensation. If the work is not paid for, then no profit is being made. If no profit is being made, then there is no point for music to be produced. If music is not produced, then there is no music to download, which would leave those illegally downloading music without any source of entertainment. So in the long run, no one is benefited by illegally downloading music because if enough profit is lost, then no one will produce music to be downloaded.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Blog post 3
Arthritis Today is a magazine which is obviously targeting individuals suffering from various joint pains by its title alone. In looking through this issues, one would notice an abundance of middle aged-early retirement aged women featured in the articles and advertisements. There are also specific articles geared towards women, such as recipes for healthy eating and baking, and an exercise guide specifically featuring a woman. There are some articles and advertisements featuring men of the same age range, but those are greatly outnumbered by the ones featuring women.
All of the articles and advertisements also seem to be targeting a specific age range, which appears to be citizens nearing retirement. As this is the age group that is most effected by arthritis, it would follow that the magazine would choose this group of people as part of their target audience. Many of the advertisements are for different medications for arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and other degenerative diseases. The articles featured in Arthritis Today cover issues such as how to successfully move into a new home without suffering from back pain, various individuals combating arthritis or other bone diseases in their lives, and regaining strength through walking frequently.
The audience profile page of Arthritis Today's website states that 75% of their demographic is women, and 71% of their audience are " age 50+," with the average age being 58. These statistics mesh well with the advertisements and articles included in the magazine.
Arthritis Today's website also features a reader profile section about the measures they took to improve their arthritis health. According to the survey, the four most common ways to improve arthritis health were to "try to eat healthy and pay attention to nutrition," "always look for new ways to live a healthier life," "try to eat a healthy breakfast every day," and "follow a regular exercise program." The results of the survey also line up with the contents of the magazine. There were several sections of the issue about staying active and exercising with arthritis and eating healthy.
The website also featured a section about what measures those afflicted with arthritis took to improve their health. The top action was seeking treatment from a doctor, which explains why the majority of the advertisements included in the magazine were for various medications to combat different variations of arthritis.
In conclusion, the demographics stated by Arthritis Today's website lined up with the advertisements and articles included in the publication.
All of the articles and advertisements also seem to be targeting a specific age range, which appears to be citizens nearing retirement. As this is the age group that is most effected by arthritis, it would follow that the magazine would choose this group of people as part of their target audience. Many of the advertisements are for different medications for arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and other degenerative diseases. The articles featured in Arthritis Today cover issues such as how to successfully move into a new home without suffering from back pain, various individuals combating arthritis or other bone diseases in their lives, and regaining strength through walking frequently.
The audience profile page of Arthritis Today's website states that 75% of their demographic is women, and 71% of their audience are " age 50+," with the average age being 58. These statistics mesh well with the advertisements and articles included in the magazine.
Arthritis Today's website also features a reader profile section about the measures they took to improve their arthritis health. According to the survey, the four most common ways to improve arthritis health were to "try to eat healthy and pay attention to nutrition," "always look for new ways to live a healthier life," "try to eat a healthy breakfast every day," and "follow a regular exercise program." The results of the survey also line up with the contents of the magazine. There were several sections of the issue about staying active and exercising with arthritis and eating healthy.
The website also featured a section about what measures those afflicted with arthritis took to improve their health. The top action was seeking treatment from a doctor, which explains why the majority of the advertisements included in the magazine were for various medications to combat different variations of arthritis.
In conclusion, the demographics stated by Arthritis Today's website lined up with the advertisements and articles included in the publication.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Intro to Mass Media Blog Post 2
I read both Al Jazeera and CNN's coverage of the prison fire that occurred in Honduras early this morning, Feburary 15, 2012. There were several noticeable differences between the networks' coverages of the story. Firstly, CNN's coverage of the story included quotes from witnesses and information about how the families of the inmates were reacting to the blaze. Al Jazeera's coverage stated only facts and quotes from officials. They did not include any witness accounts or reactions.
Also, CNN's version of the story included information relating to how the United States government has felt about the conditions of the prisons in recent years, while, again, the Al Jazeera story stated primarily facts about the blaze. To me, that shows a difference in how these two cultures handle international situations. The Al Jazeera story left out any inclination of how the Arabic community or government is reacting to the prison fire. I wouldn't say that it is a bad difference for either network to have in their coverage, but it is present in their coverage.
CNN's coverage of the fire also contains facts about the prison conditions and prisoner treatment, such as not providing adequate food for prisoners, including how human rights groups have responded to the treatment and conditions, and how they were trying to change them. Al Jazeera's coverage did not include the conditions of the prison, but did mention that there have been several prisoner riots over the last few years, a fact that CNN left out. To me, this shows a bias in the way both cultures treat their prisoners. Al Jazeera almost has a no mercy approach to the story, while CNN tries to evoke an emotion from the reader by describing the conditions of the prison and the families' reactions to the fire.
Despite the differences in the tone of the articles, both networks delivered the same facts about the blaze to the readers. All of CNN's facts about the fire lined up with the facts that Al Jazeera presented, and vice versa. However, the networks differed on their delivery of the information to their respective audience.
Also, CNN's version of the story included information relating to how the United States government has felt about the conditions of the prisons in recent years, while, again, the Al Jazeera story stated primarily facts about the blaze. To me, that shows a difference in how these two cultures handle international situations. The Al Jazeera story left out any inclination of how the Arabic community or government is reacting to the prison fire. I wouldn't say that it is a bad difference for either network to have in their coverage, but it is present in their coverage.
CNN's coverage of the fire also contains facts about the prison conditions and prisoner treatment, such as not providing adequate food for prisoners, including how human rights groups have responded to the treatment and conditions, and how they were trying to change them. Al Jazeera's coverage did not include the conditions of the prison, but did mention that there have been several prisoner riots over the last few years, a fact that CNN left out. To me, this shows a bias in the way both cultures treat their prisoners. Al Jazeera almost has a no mercy approach to the story, while CNN tries to evoke an emotion from the reader by describing the conditions of the prison and the families' reactions to the fire.
Despite the differences in the tone of the articles, both networks delivered the same facts about the blaze to the readers. All of CNN's facts about the fire lined up with the facts that Al Jazeera presented, and vice versa. However, the networks differed on their delivery of the information to their respective audience.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Blog post 1: Mass Media 212
I don't watch a lot of current television shows, so for this blog post I am going to use a show that has been off of the air since I was in middle school: Friends.
There are just as many realistic aspects of the show as there are unrealistic. For example, it is quite likely that a group of friends become as close to one another as the characters in the television show are. It is quite unlikely, however, that the group of six would be able to just decide to fly to Las Vegas for a weekend without having to worry about the cost of plane tickets, hotel rooms, entertainment, etc while there.
Along with that, it is plausible that an actor looking for work would live in New York City, but it is not even possible that an actor who has been out of work for months, would be able to afford a two bedroom apartment with a full living room and kitchen in downtown Manhattan.
Despite all of the realistic flaws that the show Friends presents to the audience, it is still a genuinely good show, with an interesting spin on reality.
For the most part, the issues that the characters of the show face are issues that everyone faces, and they are relevant issues for the age group that the characters are portraying (adults in their early thirties). The characters struggle with real-life issues such as dating and holding a relationship, looking for that right person to marry, maintaining friendships, paying the bills, finding and keeping a job, etc. These are all issues that everyone deals with, and therefore the show is relate able to an audience.
It would be wise to adopt the characters' views and values about friendship. Throughout the course of the show, the characters would fight, but they would never let an argument get in the way of their friendship with the other person or the group as a whole. To me, this is a very important quality to have and to look for when finding friends.
However, it is easy to get caught up in the illusion of grandeur that the show puts forth in the form of the characters' living arrangements and jobs. Those are not realistic things, and it would be wise to set lower goals for oneself.
There are just as many realistic aspects of the show as there are unrealistic. For example, it is quite likely that a group of friends become as close to one another as the characters in the television show are. It is quite unlikely, however, that the group of six would be able to just decide to fly to Las Vegas for a weekend without having to worry about the cost of plane tickets, hotel rooms, entertainment, etc while there.
Along with that, it is plausible that an actor looking for work would live in New York City, but it is not even possible that an actor who has been out of work for months, would be able to afford a two bedroom apartment with a full living room and kitchen in downtown Manhattan.
Despite all of the realistic flaws that the show Friends presents to the audience, it is still a genuinely good show, with an interesting spin on reality.
For the most part, the issues that the characters of the show face are issues that everyone faces, and they are relevant issues for the age group that the characters are portraying (adults in their early thirties). The characters struggle with real-life issues such as dating and holding a relationship, looking for that right person to marry, maintaining friendships, paying the bills, finding and keeping a job, etc. These are all issues that everyone deals with, and therefore the show is relate able to an audience.
It would be wise to adopt the characters' views and values about friendship. Throughout the course of the show, the characters would fight, but they would never let an argument get in the way of their friendship with the other person or the group as a whole. To me, this is a very important quality to have and to look for when finding friends.
However, it is easy to get caught up in the illusion of grandeur that the show puts forth in the form of the characters' living arrangements and jobs. Those are not realistic things, and it would be wise to set lower goals for oneself.
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