OUGD501: Lecture (Ethics- what is good?)

Ethics

As previously discussed in a COP seminar the first things first manifesto is an example of how creatives see "ethics". It was created in 1964 due to the uprising of consumerism and higher wages/ disposable incomes. They believed that designers were wasting their talents by taking jobs which have virtually no affect on the world. They believed that designers shouldn't be used to advertise trivial goods. The manifesto states overall that they wish for a change and that they have had enough of being used for their talents. 

Whereas the 2000 updated version is much more urgent. Instead of a 'call to arms' it has been turned into a political statement due to Adbusters which focus on being against capitalism and consumerism. They discuss the idea that designers who contribute artwork to advertising are supporting and participating in brainwashing society. It also suggests that designers who partake in artwork for advertising are then therefore supporting of the negative affects of companies who exploit through slave labour for example. Adbusters themselves are against consumerism as mentioned before and therefore this manifesto serves as a persuasion piece to gain more support for their beliefs they create events/days such as "buy nothing day". This manifesto presents the only good way to be an ethical designer is to fight capitalism and be completely against the system. 

Subjective relativism would mean that society would be chaotic because there would be no set agreement on what is right or wrong. Everyone would do as they wished. Cultural relativism depends on the society as what is right and wrong is agreed by a set of values within a certain country for example. However this is different depending on location and people as what is right and wrong is different in a wide variety of different countries. The divine command theory follows only religion and that I feel is not correct because there are many different religions which causes a clash of cultures and beliefs. 

Kantianism 

The idea of duty. Society should be organised by a set of agreed rules. These should govern ourselves. 

However ethics is not black and white, it is in fact incredibly complex and should incorporate context and social environment to be sensitive to others. 

His theory is based on happiness. It based on individual actions which would provide the most amount of happiness for all those involved. 

This theory suggests that as a society we should follow a set of rules. It should be a way of governing people through a mutual benefit which everyone should follow.