Ethical+Conundrums+-SP

__Ethical Conundrums in Theory and Subject__ __Ethical Conundrums in Methodology__ I am in a unique situation in that I have worked for some of the people that I am interviewing at the design firm so they do trust me with what might be considered sensitive information. Intellectual property and trade secrets must be kept secret so I must assure them that none of this will be discussed. Confidentiality and anonymity were of foremost concern right from the intro of each interview. Integrity and divulgence of unethical practice under confidentiality was also common as many people told me about the way that things were done that should never have happened. Many of these things would have negative effects on people reputations and careers and so I must keep these things private. When dealing with a practice like planned obsolescence which is largely seen as unethical, no business will openly admit that it is integrated into their business model. I don’t wish to call a company out for being unethical and many may not realize what they are doing is wrong. Another ethical challenge I may face is plagiarism when people I interview are expressing others’ ideas as their own. It is hard to tell where people’s ideas came from and if they are indeed original or just rephrased from someone else. This can be best avoided by researching the ideas brought up to see if there are similar ideas out there. It is likely that everyone I talk to will be influenced by specific sources and ideologies however clouded and hard to dig up they may be.
 * Ethical Conundrums**
 * Planned Obsolescence- in its current form where products are made to break to encourage repeat purchasing, planned obsolescence is both unethical and dishonest to consumers and unsustainable and harmful to the environment. This is in no way acceptable and must be stopped.
 * Perceived Obsolescence- Convincing consumers that they need a newer version of the one they already have that works just fine can be seen as wrong and certainly wasteful.
 * Advertising and Materialism- A constant barrage of brainwashing media engorging us to buy all kinds of things we don’t need and can’t afford, on credit, so that we can be up to date and ready for the next new thing to come out, so we can fill the emptiness.
 * Material Use and Lifecycle- choosing the right materials with the least impact vs the least expensive. Even materials that help the environment and not just net neutral.
 * Designing for Profit- products are often not designed to break but as a consequence of being designed to be cheap with lighter or less material, they break long before they should. What is the best priority list of user needs that determine if a product is successful in the market? Currently, cost is at the top of that list and sustainability is at the bottom for most. However, the hope comes in that product longevity and durability is at the top of many consumers’ lists of needs.