Task 5C: Professional Ethics

Reader 5 on Professional Ethics, for me was a very interesting and thought-provoking read. The reader provided me with a lot of information and there is a lot to take into consideration in this area. It broke down how ethics work in society from a personal level to professional and organisational and how they "all contribute to the promotion of social good in the larger society" (Middlesex University, Reader 5, 2017). This might also have a domino effect as your personal morals will have an effect on how you behave in a professional situation which will then have a knock-on effect on an organisation level. Before studying Reader 5, I had never thought about breaking down ethics into the three main different contexts but I found this helped me to understand the subject of ethics and morals better.

The history of ethics can be traced back to Greeks such as Plato and Aristotle and following on from this, philosophers such as Hobbes, Kant and Mill all have differing views on ethics. I found Hobbes' views most intriguing. Hobbes (1651) viewed ethics as "a practical solution to social harmony and good through the vehicle of a social contract" (Middlesex University, Reader 5, 2017).  This is about the awareness you have of others and I think as a performer this idea is very important both on and off stage.  Ethics are essential and you must consider the various views and approaches.

In the industry, ethics are also essential as you must be professional and treat others with respect but also have respect for yourself. As an actor, I always take ethics into consideration and will always treat others how I would want to be treated myself. At the end of the day, it doesn't cost anything to be nice! At college, I remember the Principal saying at the start of the year that the room held actors, directors, producers and writers and that we must all be professional towards one another. I carry this with me always because you never know who you might meet on your journey to the top.

My personal ethics and morals that I have today, both as an actor and a teacher, came primarily from what my parents taught me from a young age. As you go through life you learn that it is so important to treat others as you would want to be treated yourself and in this industry I believe that creating a mutual respect is so important.

Reader 5 has increased my knowledge and taught me that ethics is actually a lot more complex that I initially thought! In turn, I am now able to take the large subject of professional ethics and apply it to my inquiry.