Selling Sex Almost every company uses advertisement as a way to persuade or reach their targeted customers. However, product advertising has gone beyond bringing a good product to the awareness of the people. In recent years, just the advertisement of a product does not really capture the attention of a potential customer, so companies have come up with ways of getting the full attention of their potential consumers by adding sexuality in their advertisement. The majority of advertisements shown in the media and in magazines focus on sex appeal. Advertiser use these sex appealing images to get the attention of the people, since people react to such view even if the product being advertised is of no use to them. I believe this is a strategy to increase the sales of the products or services of these companies, but the excessive use of sexuality is what has a negative effect to the society in general.
Clothing manufacturer American Apparel is a good example of such companies that cross the line in using excessive sex images in advertising and promoting their products. In the assign case study, I will say it is morally and ethically wrong the way American Apparel (AA) uses this means in advertising their products. According to the case study, the CEO of AA, Dov Charney, supports and encourages sexual activities at the place of work between the workers (himself included). Charney encourages the termination of the workers he sees as “ugly” and hiring of the physically attractive people, uses diminishing words towards the women, masturbates in work place and has oral sex with the employee. Obviously, in this kind of work environment, some groups of people will benefit while some will be harmed by such act. With this kind of act, the youth, women, employee and the society in general will be harmed. According to the article posted in J Natl Med Assoc. 2002 September; 94(9): 797–801, media has a huge influence on the behavior of a child. Children tend to do and experiment with whatever they see on the TV and read in magazines. With the kind of images that AA displays, kids and youth are so vulnerable to it. Also, these kinds of disrespectful language that Charney uses to describe the women diminish the value of women in the society. I think this is harmful, because it could make them less important even in the business world. And lastly, the employee could be harmed in such environment, especially the women because they are most vulnerable to being raped even at the work place. And to look at the groups of people that stand to be help with this immorality act, will look at the owners of the business. The stakeholders of AA are those that are being helped from these behaviors, because it generates more money to their pocket, and this simply shows that AA chooses money over decency.
Based on the reading, I believe Socrates will not be in support of Charney’s actions. Socrates believes that individual knowledge is what makes a good life. Socrates identifies knowledge with virtue and ignorance with bad and evil. I believe Socrates will see Charney as an ignorant person, someone who lacks knowledge and a person who seeks his private interest ahead of knowledge and wisdom. Socrates believes that one must first seek knowledge and wisdom before seeking private interest. As Socrates says, “the life which is unexamined is not worth living” only a person who has the knowledge could think of examining his or her life and actions. Socrates believes that no one deliberately choses to do evil or to act ignorantly. I believe Socrates would not recommend the continuation of Charney’s actions. Considering the fact that there has been a lot of critics of Charney’s behavior and actions, I will say that should serve has a wakeup call for him to examine his life and actions and turn away from the bad ways.
Virtue to Aristotle is a doctrine of the mean and it belongs to the soul, i.e. virtue is neither excess nor deficiency. The mean is the standard