"Thank You For Smoking" - Blog post #6

 

As I watched a film directed by Jason Reitman called Thank You for Smoking in my communications media law and ethics class, it made me look at the film differently than I would have otherwise. On the surface, it seems as though it was simply a comedy about the tobacco industry, but in fact, it says a lot about persuasion, responsibility, ethics, morals, and how communication can shape the public's opinion. The movie follows a lobbyist, Nick Naylor, whose job is defending a cigarette company. He is going against the broadly known health risks. While watching the film, I kept noticing how ethics, strategic communication, morals and values, and argument tactics all play a role in the way Nick does his job effectively and efficiently. These ideas stood out the most to me and made the movie feel very relevant to what we discuss in class.

One of the largest themes in the movie is clearly ethics. Nick works for a tobacco company, which is known for selling a product that can severely harm people’s health, which is cigarettes. His job is to publicly defend the industry and argue against stricter regulations that are being attempted to be enforced by the Vermont Governor. From an ethics perspective, that creates a lot of questions within one's moral boundaries, and how far they are willing to bend their values to, as Nick Naylor said, “Pay the mortgage”. This aspect made me think much deeper about whether someone can separate their job from their responsibility to society, their family, and their community. Nick seems quite confident in what he does, but at times, it also feels like he is avoiding the bigger moral issue and pushing it to the side. In a media law and ethics context, it raises the question of whether communicators should only focus on representing their client or if they also have a responsibility to consider the public impact of what they say.

Strategic communication is also a huge part of the film. Nick rarely talks directly about whether smoking is dangerous; he reorganizes the questions and re-frames the context of the conversation. When he reframes conversations, he makes it so that the focus is on personal freedom or government control, or again, to “pay the mortgage”. This is something we talk about a lot in communications. We often talk about how framing an issue can change the way audiences interpret it, and it is clear that Nick Naylor understands that the way a message is presented can be just as important as the message itself, which makes it so that, in his words, he is “never wrong”. Whether he is appearing on television or speaking in public debates, he carefully chooses his words to shift every conversation, debate, and argument in his favor.

Another thing that the movie shows is the role that morals and values play in communication. Nick’s relationship with his son, Joey Naylor, adds an interesting layer to the storyline. Joey seems originally distant from his dad, but over time, he starts to admire his dad’s ability to argue and win debates. However, it made me wonder what kind of values Nick is actually teaching to his son, and whether he is showing his son how to think critically and communicate well, or whether he is teaching him that winning an argument is more important than being honest? That specific part of the film made the ethical questions feel more personal rather than just professional, which makes the viewer need to think much more critically, and encourages a deeper level of thinking than simply surface level.

Lastly, another thing that was illuminated to me was the argument tactic Nick uses to avoid ever being considered blatantly wrong. At one point, he explains that the key to winning an argument is not proving you are right, but proving the other person is wrong. This strategy appears throughout the film when he debates politicians or speaks to the media, as well as when he talks to his son. Rather than defending cigarettes directly, he challenges the credibility or logic of his opponent, and this was interesting to watch because it shows how persuasion can work even when someone does not have the strongest factual argument; they just have to prove the other person is wrong, which, in Nick Naylors words, makes him “automatically right”. It also reflects how communication strategies are often used in politics and public relations.

Overall, the film Thank You for Smoking relates closely to the topics we study in the communications, media law, and ethics class. The film highlights not only the ethical challenges that come with representing controversial industries but also how strategic communications and wording can be used critically and effectively in debate. It also shows how strategic communication and framing can influence the way people think about an issue and act on it. Nick’s argument tactics very clearly demonstrate how persuasion can be used to shift conversations, avoid direct responsibility, and persuade an audience. At the same time, the movie raises some major questions about personal morals, ethics, and values that people communicate through their actions. By the end of the film, it made me think more about the power communicators have and the responsibility to the public, society, and your family and friends, that comes with using that power.

Online Influencers - Blog Post #5

In the Oxford English Dictionary the term Influencer is defined as, “a person who has become well-known through use of the internet and social media, and uses celebrity to endorse, promote, or generate interest in specific products, brands, etc., often for payment.” But online influencers in today's world go far beyond this simple definition. Online influencers have positive and negative implications, they have an effect on society as a whole, they affect you, your friends, your family, and even your generations and all the generations to come. It is so extremely important to understand the term online influencers especially in current events.

Online influencers have an effect on a lot of things in today's world. They affect what is trending, beauty standards, inform purchasing decisions, diet and exercise behaviors, impulsive consumption, and shape sociocultural standards. Which is a combination of social and cultural factors. Influencers not only affect the behaviors of the majority of their followers, but they act as a powerful, $16.4 billion+ marketing channel, which is often more trusted than traditional advertising. They drive engagement, enhance brand authority, and, with a 1% increase in spending, can yield up to a 0.5% boost in engagement. These facts have, over time, increased the popularity of utilizing online influencers to advertise products. Through Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and more, influencers use their platforms to encourage quick consumption of products as well as lifestyles. 

It is clear on social media that online influencers use their seemingly perfect lives to promote product consumption. Influencers promote constant exposure to curated, "perfect" lives which leads to social comparison, which can cause anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in users, particularly youth. The pressure to match these unrealistic standards contributes to body dissatisfaction and, in some cases, eating disorders. These unrealistic body images can be severely damaging to youth, and promote extremely dangerous and unhealthy habits that can damage their present and future lives, as well as damage their friends and family. Not only can these “perfect” lifestyles have damaging effects on people, but the spread of misinformation can too. 

Influencers are constantly spreading something called misinformation. Misinformation, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is, “The action of misinforming someone; the condition of being misinformed.” or “Wrong or misleading information.” This is a repetitive occurrence in the age of social media. This misinformation spread often happens because followers often develop intense one-sided relationships, viewing influencers as trusted friends rather than advertisers. While this boosts loyalty, it can be manipulated for, or lead to, the spread of misinformation.

It's obvious that some of the effects of online influencers are good, such as encouraging eating whole foods, giving advice on hard topics, and demonstrating kindness. But some online influencers promote negative things such as misinformation, unhealthy eating habits, unattainable beauty standards, and market overconsumption. With influencers plugging tons of products, many people have learned to immediately buy products with little to no thought behind the purchases.The influx of online influencers has generational effects such as heightened, impulsive, consumerism, shifts in career aspirations, and mental health challenges related to body image, especially in the current and younger generations. Influencers are a huge part of today's generation, but it is important to be cautious online and to reduce the spread of these negative side effects that come with the presence of online influencers.

The Future of AI in Strategic Communications - Blog Post #4

AI undoubtedly will have a massive effect on everything around us, from jobs to skill sets to even how we think. Having a grasp on how AI can affect you and your future is very important so you can stay ahead of the fast paced acceleration of AI. As a Strategic Communications major, AI will have a huge effect on the future of my field of study.

After doing some research on the effects of AI on Strategic Communications it is clear that some drastic changes are to come. One of the biggest changes AI will have is a shift in skill set. AI will move the focus of Strategic Communications from drafting basic content, such as social media posts and press releases, to generating ideas to plug into AI, editing and reforming AI output, and managing sophisticated campaigns. This is especially important for me to keep in mind as a major in this field because it rearranges my future job description, as well as the job descriptions for other Strategic Communications majors.

Another effect AI will have on the field of Strategic Communication is it will change how people in the field have to think as well as their ethical and critical thinking. It will create the need for Strategic Communications majors to be able to critically think and analyze AI output in order to verify the information and scan for possible biases. Not only is that ability to critically analyze necessary, but it also creates the need for Strategic Communications majors to be able to add the human elements to these AI outputs. Elements like emotions, empathy, story-telling, and more, are all key elements in this field that AI cannot fully replicate.

In the end, AI will keep pushing us into the future no matter what, but humans have the capability to evolve so that AI can remain a tool without taking away jobs and livelihoods.

Privacy Online and Offline - Blog Post #3

In the current age of technology, privacy is hard to come by. With just one quick search it is easy to find social media pages, posts, and much more information about specific people. This new technology is taking privacy out of the hands of the majority of people. After watching four interesting TED talks about the current age of privacy I found two of the TED talk very eye opening. I found that from pictures of your license plates, to facial recognition and online tattoos, it is nearly impossible to escape the grip of being tracked.

In the TED talk done by Juan Enriquez he compared our now permanent online presence to a tattoo. From our search history, what we look at, pictures we click, and more, this record is basically permanent just like a tattoo. It helps the internet tailor what we see, the government tracks what we do, when we do it, and how we get things done. He also brought up an interesting point about how this online "tattoo" threatens us with immortality rather than the older generation's threat of mortality. Instead of threatening us with death, it uses our permanent online presence against us on an un-deletable and immortal record. Not only are we threatened with online immorality, we are also threatened with being tracked constantly.

In another TED talk done by Catherine Crump she talks about the ways in which new technology not only tracks criminals and illegal activities, but they also keep records and track innocent civilians. They track them using facial recognition, license plate pictures, and more. This tracking is warranted to be done as a consequence for unlawful actions, but it should not be warranted on law abiding citizens and families. In her TED talk she proposes a solution to this growing issue that I agree with. She suggests that we pass laws in government requiring police to dispose of the data on innocent civilians, while utilizing the data and technology for legitimate causes, such as helping to catch criminals so that our systems can grow stronger while also growing more trustworthy at the same time. 

These issues pose a huge threat to my privacy as well as yours. Everything posted on social media, searched online, and tracked by you are on record. Things you write and post for your friends and family, including your location, are at the fingertips of the government which is a massive crisis of privacy. To protect ourselves from this issue it is important to speak up to city and town councils to bring up the chain of the government. It is important to have our data, and the data of innocent citizens is disposed off to protect, not only our privacy, but our reputation in total.

Values of Free Expression - Blog Post #2

                                         

All eight values of free expression are uniquely important to shape our country, its function, and its policies in the world today. Their importance is exponentially growing as the United States fights political battles, environmental battles, and social battles. This makes all of these values important factors in keeping our government and citizens working together and using their power in a helpful, safe, and regulated manner. 

                                               

Check Government Power

One of these values in particular aligns with my personal opinion quite well. I find it deeply important to know one's duty as an active citizen to question authority. Without the questioning of authority we are the blind leading the blind. We as citizens, without checking government power, would have no knowledge or say in the use, or even misuse, of government power. That is why I find it so important that it is so valuable to check government power. 

First and foremost, checking government power, when done correctly, is an amazing way to exercise democracy. Democracy is the fact that the government gets its power only through the consent of the governed. The government of the United States wouldn't be a democracy if we as people did not have the right to question the government's authority, consent to how they govern, and have a say in if they are utilizing their power correctly. In fact there has been a recent check of power on the United States President regarding an executive overreach. The CLC states that the public is checking concerning the presidential authority over independent agencies, withholding funds, and prompting calls for Congress to reassert its constitutional role, even as voters express concern over concentrated power.

Having the right and ability to check the government's power is a true way to exercise democracy. Not only does checking the government exercise democracy but another reason I value this ability so much is because it utilizes the freedom of the press to help citizens become aware of possible abuses of power. When citizens of the United States are aware of these possible abuses of power in the government, they are much more likely to notice them in real scenarios and bring change when there is an abuse of power. If these abuses are brought to the light, many more people are going to feel comfortable bringing up these problems.

                                            

As a citizen of the United States I find it the duty of all citizens, including myself, to play an active part in the check-and-balance system that is made to restrain government power and their ability to abuse power. I deeply value my personal power and freedom as well as the personal power and freedom of my peers. This check and balance system also contributes to the theory of diversity contributing to a better community. Since the community has the right to check the government, they can speak up when not all minorities are being represented, which in turn keeps diversity in our power systems to help create a more equal community. Social media is also a big aspect in this check and balance system because it spreads all different viewpoints from different communities to bring awareness when a check needs to be made.

Having the personal ability to check the government's use of the power not only empowers individuals, including myself, but it strengthens democracy by ensuring accountability. If the people can hold the government and its officials accountable for wrongdoings, then the government will be less comfortable overstepping with their use of power. 

Overall, the importance of holding the ability to check the government is more valuable in today's world than ever. Holding the power to give consent or refute the government's uses of power is a luxury, and it's very important that we as people exercise those rights and responsibilities. I personally hold this ability as the most important value of free expression because it keeps, maintains, and strengthens democracy, which is necessary in today's constantly growing and changing world.

Top 5 Sources of News - Blog Post #1

I find it extremely important, especially in todays day and age, to be caught up and in tuned with what is going on in the world. From politics to weather, its important to be aware of the world around you. Here are five sources that I use in todays world to stay caught up and aware.

#1 New York Times

The New York Times is one of my most valued sources that I use. I find The New York Times to be so valuable because I have utilized it almost every day since I was very young. At my lake house, my cousins, aunts, and close family, all used to wake up and read a hard copy of The New York Times every morning. This source not only brings some non-biased articles, but it also brings attention to important news that people should be made aware of. Lastly, The New York Times brings factual and background checked information so that the readers can be sure the information they are consuming is correct.

#2 AOL News

Secondly, AOL News is a highly utilized source for me as well. AOL News is second on my list because my personal email is linked to AOL, so when I go to check my inbox I can easily access daily, breaking, and important news. AOL is also a largely reliable and unbiased source that has kept me updated and in the loop for many years now. AOL News also has an option on Iphones to notify you about new news articles that have been posted. This feature is helpful to me because I can see the articles as a notification and read them if I please or if I find the subject important to me and my values.

#3 Google

A third source I use often is Google. I use google every day without fail. Google tells me important information such as what sources are reliable, how to complete every day tasks, and even gives me new recipes to cook for dinner. I use google for almost every question I have on a daily basis, which is why this source is so important to me, not to mention it leads me to other sources such as The New York Times and AOL News.

#4 Instagram

The fourth source I frequently find my information on is Instagram. Usually, I take any serious news I see on this app with a grain of salt because there are lots of false informations sites present on Instagram. However, the news I mainly get off of Instagram that I retain is news about my friends, influencers, companies I follow, as well as my family members who live far away. Although Instagram may not be the best for serious breaking news, its an amazing source that I use to keep up with my friends, family, and connections.

#5 My Mother

Finally, my fifth source that I frequently utilize is my Mother. My Mother can often tell me what is going on for world news as well as science. My Mother is a science teacher in South Burlington, Vermont so she often is very caught up with recent events and scientific breakthroughs. Not only is she updated on recent events but she is also well versed in the things going on with my family as a whole, so I use her as a source for finding out more information on my close and extended relatives since they live in Vermont, Florida, Texas, and Saudi Arabia.