1. Society and Conscience

2. What are the major influences that affect teenager and adult consciences?

3. Are these influences good or bad?

4. What happens when they are good?
Strengthens and sharpens our conscience

5. What happens when they are bad?
Weakens our moral sensitivity and resolve
Desensitized: made less sensitive or responsive to or less aware of

6. How do we develop a better moral climate?
Protect and develop our own conscience

7. Mass Media One of the most powerful forms of secular influence
What are types of media?

8. What does the Church say?
Can be an instrument that brings us closer to God
Can refresh and nourish our human spirit
If abused can harm society
For users, ask:
What is the message and what audience will it reach?
Why is this message being communicated, and why is it being communicated in this way?
Where, when and how is the communication to occur?

9. Are we influenced by the things we frequently encounter?
Food example
We need to carefully examine how we allow the media to affect our moral integrity
Does the media affect you?
Often think we are strong enough to not be influenced. Is this true?
Do you have any affect on the media?
How can you make an impact?

10. How can we maintain our moral integrity?
Be aware of the moral qualities of media available to you
Use media that are good
Reject media that are dishonest, degrading, or dangerous– communicate why
Realize the power of your choices
Consider how your media choices affect your attitude
What would Jesus think of my exposure to this type of media?

11. Advertising Ethics
Preaching we hear about morals most often comes from advertisements
Manipulation of our values
Ask ourselves, “Why are we buying it?”
What are some tactics ad companies use?

12. What are the ethics and values that are being sold to teenage boys?
What are the ethics and values that are being sold to teenage girls?
How do you feel about this?

13. Culture and Conscience
Most cultural differences are merely social
Some involve morally acceptable behavior
Help society evaluate its flaws and limits
Society needs to criticize and better itself

14. Review Social Influences on Conscience Desensitizing conscience
The mass media
Advertising
Culture and conscience