I always encounter a lot of enticing and alluring advertisements everytime I read the newspaper, I browse the internet, I listen to the radio, I watch the ‘idiot box’ or I go out the seminary for vacation or for important purposes. I could really say that the world today is bound with so many advertisements because everything is being informed and persuaded by advertising in order to invite patronage and other responses. At present, no one can escape the influence of advertisement. The life of a human person today could never be called a ‘worth-living’ without the presence of advertisements that inform human person with regard the new innovations, new insights and new products provided by this world.
When I read and started to reflect on the Ethics of Advertising, I’ve learned that advertising is an amoral thing. It could be beneficial if it will be used for good purposes. On the contrary, it could be harmful if it will be used for ill-purposes. Hence, my mind begun to ask questions on learning the amorality of advertising in the human person: what makes advertisement advantageous and disadvantageous to the human person? Does it help or hinder the dignity of the human person?
However, there are advantages of advertisement that can be found in every aspect of the state. In economy, advertisement serves as a beneficial tool for utilizing the resources of the state and effectively responding to the needs of the society. It teaches the human person to enhance his/her productive capacity for the economic growth of the state. In politics, advertisement values the democratic system of the state. It makes citizens participate in elections and public opinions that serve as a contributive act for the welfare of the state. In culture, advertisement contributes to the betterment of society by uplifting and inspiring the human person to be a useful individual through his/her talents and skills. It brightens lives by simply entertaining the human person his/her culture where he/she belongs. In morality and religiosity of the state, advertisement helps the Church to communicate her messages concerning the human person’s need to live a tranquil life. It also helps the Church to convey God’s Word and to evangelize the people.
On the contrary, there are also disadvantages that can be found in advertisement. Advertisement may exploit the moral uprightness and even the dignity of human person. There are forms of advertisement that arouse sexual instincts of the human person, which could be a source of his/her pervertness, licentiousness, wantonness and the like. It presumes life to become better when it is directed towards ‘having’ rather than ‘being.’ It may cause to a human person’s selfishness to others, to be bias on the opinions of others, to be hostile, and to have prejudices towards ethnic and racial groups. It may also promote the destruction of life by advertising of contraceptives and other products that are harmful to the health and life. It can also be a source of domination and manipulation of people which could be the cause of oppression as well.
In conclusion, the Ethics in Advertising has a good point in dealing with its concerns regarding the advantages and disadvantages of advertising to the human person. It gives an emphasis on the Church’s concern regarding the proper use of media in advertising which has to be taken always in the good terms. In my point of view, human person should not only stop on the awareness of advantage and disadvantages of advertising in the society. The human person must also be critical in dealing with it. Since advertising is an amoral thing it should not end as an amoral thing, too. I agree on the suggestion of the Church that advertising must be bound with some ethical standards in order to make it plausible for the human person.
