Discussion: Citizen, Media, and Political Ethics

Citizen, Media, and Political Ethics

The United States is embroiled in the greatest political turmoil it has experienced since, perhaps, the Civil War: a violent insurrection at the US Capitol attempting to impede a constitutionally mandated congressional proceeding and disrupt the peaceful transition of presidential power; fascist ideology and evidence-free conspiracy memes influencing a substantial segment of the populace; media spewing disinformation and misinformation as part of their business plan; a one-term president trying to make a political comeback on the basis of the authoritarian Big Lie that that 2020 presidential election was stolen; and so forth.

These crises reawaken long submerged questions: What is citizen ethics, and how does it apply to our present circumstances? What is media ethics, and how should responsible journalists conduct themselves? What is political ethics, and how should responsible political leaders behave?

Moderator Alan E. Johnson will lead the discussion of these and related subjects.

SOME REFERENCES (not required reading):

• ·       Alan E. Johnson, Reason and Human Ethics (2022), Chapters 5 (“Citizen and Media Ethics”) and 6 (“Political Ethics”), https://www.amazon.com/Reason-Human-Ethics-Alan-Johnson/dp/097010555X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=.

• ·       PBS NewsHour, “The Jan. 6 Insurrection, 1 Year Later” (video), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvmasW_glUQ.

• ·       Society of Professional Journalists, Code of Ethics, revised September 6, 2014, https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp.

PFC Monthly discussion groups are open to all - if the topic interests you, you'll be welcome! Discussion is moderated but informal - speak up as much or little as you wish.