Consumerism and Planned Obsolescence Discussion

The purpose of this discussion is to help you understand the growing concerns surrounding consumerism and how this concept is applied to varied contexts. Prepare and post a response to the following prompts:

• Describe consumerism. Describe a specific context and explain what consumerism means in the setting.
• What is planned obsolescence? What role does planned obsolescence play in consumerism? Describe one product or service and explain how planned obsolescence is incorporated into its design. Note: Do not use the same product or service that a classmate has already used in a previous post.
• What are your personal beliefs and biases about consumption?
• Having separated your personal beliefs and biases, use ethical theories and concepts to present how you feel about consumerism and planned obsolescence as societal issues.

Conglomerates and Market Domination Discussion

The purpose of this discussion is to help you understand the role of corporations in the modern world while evaluating ethical aspects of corporate market domination. Prepare and post a response to the following prompts:

• Describe the difference between a corporation and a conglomerate.
• Consider the ethics of media conglomerates in the United States. What are the ethical advantages and disadvantages of allowing large conglomerates to control the mass media? What are alternative ways the media might be organized that would be more ethical or moral? Explain your reasoning using both concepts from the course and academic resources.