political dissent
...ble to assume that Bakan believes that the car accident could have been prevented if the government had strict regulations on corporation. Strict regulations would prevent corporations from creating externalities that would harm the public sphere since corporations would fear the consequences. Corporate influence is ubiquitous through advertisements since advertising can be in the form of magazine ads, billboards, commercials, or public display of a product. Advertising targets consumers into the belief that they must have certain products to attain a certain status. People participate in this daily that it has become routine, when most of us were little kids we grew up using Crayola ® crayons, and no other brand would suffice. As consumers grow older they are influenced into a certain type of style that has created an image that consumers think reflect their own identity but in reality is just a reflection of corporate profits. As a result society has become based on corporate consumption. For instance it is widely known that the brand Nike used child labor in some countries to make their slick shoes and other merchandise. However, this did not cause a world boycott of Nike products if this event occurred, Nike Corporation would no longer exist. Although consumers are informed of the misdeeds that corporations perform that does not stop consumers from buying corporate products. It should be the role of the government to dissolve corporations when they repeatedly violate rules, this way the government would dictate what businesses consumers should purchase products from. When government is able to extract malevolent corporations from society it ensures the safety of the public sector, at least when it comes to purchasing products. The documentary Outfoxed symbolizes the fall of democracy. The network does not promote dissent rather it promotes the republican agenda. Fox network claims that it is “fair and balanced” since they invite liberals to appear on the network. However, the network chooses weak liberal guests to face off with strong conservatives such as Bill O’Reilly. The documentary portrays the television network similar to how Bakan portrays corporations- the desire to put their own needs before the needs of the masses. The documentary shows the network thinking of its own interest by reporting a twisted version of the news. Executives send memos to stations advising newscasters on what euphemisms they should use on camera. The network tries to report news through a conservative lens that allows millions of viewers to see only one shade of the spectrum. By not providing outside sources or allowing dissent to happen on the networks airwaves the network is essentially undermining democracy. The network corporation is essentially destroying the right to oppose the government by having Mr. O’Reilly bantering guests with “Shut up” when they do not agree with him. In the novel, Bakan quotes Bruce Welling, a law professor who basically states that corporations will continue to put consumers and the environment at risk if they are able to profit from it. A corporation will never stop trying to profit at the expense of consumers, they will only, “learn how to cover its tracks better” (Bakan 80). This is a prime example of Bakan’s opinion about corporations. It is blatant that he wants his audience to realize that corporations are selfish and only care about profiting and providing large dividends to their shareholders. When corporations put their prerogatives before the safety of consumers they are defying the principles of democracy. Although corporations are not in charge of promoting the well being of citizens, corporations should possess moral responsibility when it comes to deciding between the possible death of a fellow human being or higher profits. The answer should side with the well being of other humans; instead human morality is overlooked as an opportunity cost to having more money. Prioritizing money before the life of a human is almost barbaric. It should be common sense for corporate executives to know the boundary between profit and the effec...