Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice, individualism and voluntary association. Not truly free until free school, education and healthcare. left wing doctorine
Authoritarianism, principle of blind submission to authority, as opposed to individual freedom of thought and action. In government, authoritarianism denotes any political system that concentrates power in the hands of a leader or a small elite that is not constitutionally responsible to the body of the people.
Key question
Focus
specifics
why regulate?
truth appropriate messages knowledge information decency/morality privacy
what gets regulated?
newspapers websites advertisement radio tv films
who regulates what?
government organisations companies police courts law+order off com independent bodies /organisations individuals groups bbfc
Libertarianism – a political philosophy that upholds liberty (freedom) as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice and individualism.
Authoritarianism – the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
Hedonism – The belief that self-pleasure and good experiences are the main things you should aim for in life.
Pleasure – feelings of satisfaction and good experiences. Pleasure, however, can not be experienced without pain.
The Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt school studied the manufacture (commodification) of pleasure and good experiences, as they knew that society and human beings were starting to crave these things. The development of technology made the public more able to experience pleasure without going to the trouble of obtaining it.
The idea of the “teenager” came about in the 1960s, along with a permissive society, which meant that unpopular ideas such as homosexuality became more prominent and accepted.
Key Question
Focus
Specifics
Why Regulate?
Truth, appropriate messaging, knowledge and information, public decency, ethics, morals, privacy, health & safety, diversity, legal ownership
Elon Musk – Twitter Depp / Heard Life of Brian Rooney / Vardy War in Ukraine COVID
Libertarianism is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice, individualism and voluntary association.
Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting.
Hedonism comes from the ancient Greek for ‘pleasure’. Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that only pleasure or pain motivates us. Ethical or evaluative hedonism claims that only pleasure has worth or value and only pain or displeasure has disvalue or the opposite of worth.
The Frankfurt School was a school of social theory and critical philosophy associated with the Institute for Social Research, at Goethe University Frankfurt in 1929. Founded in the Weimar Republic (1918–1933), during the European interwar period (1918–1939), the Frankfurt School comprised intellectuals, academics, and political dissidents dissatisfied with the contemporary socio-economic systems (capitalist, fascist, communist) of the 1930s. The Frankfurt theorists proposed that social theory was inadequate for explaining the turbulent political factionalism and reactionary politics occurring in 20th century liberal capitalist societies. Critical of both capitalism and of Marxism–Leninism as philosophically inflexible systems of social organization, the School’s critical theory research indicated alternative paths to realizing the social development of a society and a nation.
It is widely believed that a revolution in British social attitudes and behaviour took place during the Sixties, making Britain a secular ‘permissive society’. In popular accounts, this sea-change amounted to the discovery of ‘sex, drugs n rock n roll’ by the young. Unlike a political revolution, there was no single event that marked the beginning of changes that many contemporaries felt climaxed in the ‘Summer of Love’ of 1967, although others pointed to the trial of Penguin Books for publishing the novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 1960. A topic of roiling historical controversy since the decade ended, this module asks what changed in Sixties Britain and why it did so before considering the consequences and legacies of the period.
Key Question
Focus
Specifics
Why Regulate?
Truth Appropriate messaging Knowledge and information Decency/Morales Privacy
Depp vs Heard Rooney vs Hardy Life of Brian Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter Activision sexual harassment
What gets regulated?
Newspapers Websites Movies Radio Advertising
Video Games Television Books Internet The News
Who regulates what?
Government Organisations/Companies Law and Order Independent Individuals and groups
ASA PEGI BBFC IPSO OFCOM
How will regulation be put in place?
Copyright Explicitly Age Ratings Legal ownership Official Secrets Act
Favouring being in a world where there are rules and regulations as you believe that they are necessary- wanting to be told what to do.
Hedonism is the idea that humans actively seek to gain pleasure while avoiding pain. Epicurus theorises about how people are often unhappy because they have the ‘wrong’ idea of what makes us happy. After conducting research he proposed that we need only 3 major things- friends , alone time and finding piece in yourself.
The Frankfurt School
Teaches that industry’s such as media feed us information about what we should want so that they can sell it to us. Sometimes this is done by basically telling us what we should want.
1960’s Permissive society
A time where ‘things’ were changing- young people becoming more rebellious and more liberal
Focus
Specifics
Why Regulate?
Truth, Appropriate Messaging, Knowledge and Information, Morals / Decency, Privacy, Protection of Venerable People, Health and Safety, Diversity, Un-bias, Ownership/ Control, Legal Ownership
Depp vs Heard, Elon Musk purchasing twitter, Rooney vs Vardy, Activision’s $18m sexual harassment lawsuit, Russia vs Ukraine
What gets regulated?
Newspapers, Websites, Movies, Music, Adverts, Books, Video Games, Music, Television, Social Media
Who Regulates What?
Government, Ministers, Company’s, Police/Law, Independent Bodies or Organisations, Individuals and Groups, ASA, PEGI (Pan European Game Information), IPSO (the Independent Press Standards Organisation), Ofcom ( Office of Communications),
– to maintain the truth – protect others from explicit content – privacy – to prevent reputational damage/ libel/ slander – in terms of ownership to avoid monopolies etc -to prevent criminal activity – to maintain good working practice eg equal pay, job security ALSO – morals/ethics, subjective ‘good’ behaviour – to prevent political bias – to prevent extreme controversy
EG protect others from explicit content/to maintain the truth – banning of ‘Life of Brian’ in numerous countries EG privacy – Rooney vs Vardy EG reputational damage – Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard EG to avoid monopolies – Elon Musk buying twitter EG to maintain good working practice – Activision Blizzard’s $18m settlement over sexual harassment suit
what is regulated?
– newspapers – films – books – TV – radio
who regulates?
– the government – individuals – internal company/structural regulators (code of ethics) – self-regulation – key individuals eg celebrities and influencers SPECIALIST BODIES: – BBFC (cinema) – OfCom(broadcasting) – IPSO (newspapers) – PEGI (video games) – PRS + MCPS (music)
how are things regulated?
libertarianism – promoting ideas of freedom
authoritarianism – promoting the idea of strict centralised control
Epicurus – Hedonism
Greek philosopher who was a hedonist
hedonism is the philosophy of living you life to experience pleasure and avoid pain
he believed that small pleasures are more likely to bring us tranquillity than extreme pleasures as they are more difficult to obtain and are therefore more likely to result in pain
likely hood of experiencing more pain goes up as you become more exacting in what gives you pleasure
opened a school where they studied happiness
he concluded happiness comes from: non-sexual friendships, working either alone in small groups, and finding calm in own mind rather than tangible goods
The Frankfurt School
aimed to develop a psychological understanding of the problems thrown up by modern capitalism, especially the culture and mindset it creates
he blames this on the culture industry films, tv radio etc designed to keep us distracted and unable to understand ourselves and therefore without the will to alter political reality
drew attention to three significant ways capitalism corrupts and exploits people:
leisure time becomes toxic: culture industry influences people to spend their free time to relax and take off one’s mind, instead the time should be used to develop a better understanding of oneself – culture industry, films, tv radio etc, designed to keep us distracted and unable to understand ourselves and therefore without the will to alter political reality
capitalism doesn’t sell us things we actually need: the huge range of products available makes us believe everything we could possibly want is available, however the problem is many people cant afford such things – capitalism shields our real wants, luxury material goods etc, so we forget what we actually need, relationships, a home, food etc, and settle for manufactured desires without interest in true welfare EG adverts portray instances that we truly want in order to sell us something we don’t truly need
Essentially, Pleasure and culture gets commodified by superior bodies in order to provide, a false, happiness for the inferior bodies so that they can be happy
they argue that those in control of popular culture use it to control society and distract them from questioning the reality of the world around them
Permissive society 1960s
after WWII, there was more affluence and optimism amongst society and by the 1960s, young people had began to push for more social freedoms
The ‘Lady Chatterley’ Trial
the contraceptive pill available at NHS
The abortion act
The sexual offences act
The divorce reform act
Mary Whitehouse
conservative activist during 1960s who campaigned against social liberalism and the mainstream British media
she accused them of promoting a more permissive, promiscuous society
her motivation came from her traditional Christian values, which she believed social liberalism undermined
founded the National Viewers and Listeners association
Whitehouse’s campaigns continue to divide opinion. Her critics have accused her of being a highly censorious, bigoted figure, and her traditional moral convictions brought her into direct conflict with advocates of the sexual revolution, feminism, children’s rights and LGBT rights.
Others see her more positively and believe she was attempting to halt a decline in what they perceived as Britain’s moral standards
My political compass Economic Left/Right: -4.63 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.54
-Truth -Child protection -Political bias -Privacy -Human morals and ethics -Relative/subjective “good behaviour” -Specific/particular political opinions -Deformation/slander/libel/reputational damage -Ownership to avoid monopoly -Good working practices
-Johnny Depp V Amber Heard case (Libel/Slander) -Rooney v Vardy (Privacy) -Elon Musk buying Twitter (Ownership) -Life of Brian (Good behaviour) -China banning social media/1 hour limit on it -Activision Blizzard’s court case (good working practices)
– Truth – Child protection – Political bias – To abide by law – Criminal activity – Health and safety – Ownership – Privacy – Slander – Reputation – Morals/Ethics
– War in Ukraine – COVID – Johnny Depp VS Amber Heard Court trial – Elon Musk buying out twitter – Power of status
Who regulates what?
– Government – Individuals – Specialist bodies (eg. Ofcom) – Internal regulation within companies (Code of Conduct, HR) – Self regulation – Key individuals (eg. celebrities, influencers, opinion leaders)
– IPSO (Newspaper and Magazine ) – ITU (Radio) – Ofcom (Complaints for broadcasting) – BBDC (Cinema) – PEGI (Video games/ Games in general) – PRS (Music)
How will regulation be put in place?
– Privacy – Data protection – Copyright
What gets regulated?
– Radio – Newspaper – TV/Film – Games – Magazine – Social Media – The News – The internet – Books
Libertarianism = The idea of being free from control and regulation. The freedom of expression without being told what to do by authority.
Authoritarianism = Society in which people are oppressed by the state and are told what to do/ regulated.
Epicurus
3 ways of finding happiness: Friends, Family and an analysed life.
He studied happiness and revealed that money isn’t a way to finding happiness
Hedonism = The word is derived from the Greek ‘hedone’ (“pleasure”). The idea that human behaviour seeks increase of pleasure and a decrease of pain, pleasure should be the ultimate goal.
The Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt School was a school of social theory and critical philosophy associated with the Institute for Social Research, at Goethe University Frankfurt in 1929.
Key Ideas, they theorized that …
Pleasure was commodified in the media and in popular culture. The idea that the media sells a perfect idea that money can buy happiness.
Mary Whitehouse and Media Watch UK
Mary Whitehouse (1910-2001) was a British school teacher who left her job to become a conservative activist
She campaigned for less social liberalism and against the British media which she thought promoted a ‘permissive society’ in the 1960’s. She was against the society of the time which saw the rise in the civil rights and gay rights movements, 2nd wave feminism and the right to contraception and abortion.
She based her ideas of off traditional Christian teachings
Founded the ‘National Viewer’s And Listener’s Association’ (now known as Media Watch UK).
As the president of the group, she used the organization as a way to criticize the BBC for their portrayals of sex, violence and use of bad language.
(especially in the past) A person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.
Free:
Able to act or be done as one wishes; not under the control of another.
Authoritarian:
Favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
Libertarians:
Seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice, individualism and voluntary association.
Hedonism:
Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that human behaviour is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decrease pain.
Frankfurt school:
Pleasure gets commodified into popular culture and products which people buy to make them believe it will make them happier, however its only making the rich richer, and poor poorer.
Key question
Focus
Specifics
Why Regulate?
Truth, protection of minors, political bias, privacy, ethics, morals, good behaviour, Slander, Defamation, reputation, Libel, monopolies
Depp V Heard Rooney V Vardy, Elon Musk
Who regulates what?
-The government, -specialist bodies, -individuals, -internal company regulation, -social media influencers & celebs etc
-Blocking media -Stopping things from getting released -Sensitivity boundaries -Word limits -Firing or removing individuals with different opinions from companies -Controversial words
Instagram admins, Twitter admins, News companies, Government, Film studios, copywrite, PEGI rating, Website HTML secure, E for explicit, VEVO
What gets regulated?
Film Advertising Television Music Video Games Internet Books Newspapers Radio The News Magazines Cartoons / animations
Marvel, BBC, Netflix, China internet 1hr ban, China firewall, Netflix “cuties” banned, Activision sexual assault within workplace
This deal is dangerous for our democracy. Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain. We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable.
Get students to express their own ideas in relation to Musk’s take-over bid for Twitter. Ask students to simply state their own case for regulation, censorship and control – or lack of it. Get students to sit in a horseshoe that indicates: FOR v AGAINST CENSORHSIP, REGULATION AND CONTROL. This will indicate either a LIBERTARIAN or AUTHORITARIAN PERSPECTIVE. This is a key conceptual approach that can be revisited by completing the Political Bias activity on the next page.
Hopefully the discussion will focus on the need to speak-up. Make a clear link between the benefits and drawbacks of saying what you think. Underline the role of the (mass) media in SELECTING, GATE-KEEPING & AMPLIFYING particular conversations and ideas.
This dark crime drama follows two detectives, as they are put on the cases of the disappearance of a teenage girl, the murders of runaway children, and the massacre of a wealthy family. As the stories progress, the lives of those affected by the events intertwine.
