Thank you for Smoking: Movie Reflection

 Watching Thank You for Smoking

really got me thinking about how we deal with “vice” products in the U.S. Not just cigarettes, but alcohol, gambling, vaping, guns, and even marijuana. The movie is funny, but underneath the jokes it shows how messy things get when money, legality, and ethics all collide.

Nick Naylor, the main character, is a great example of that mess. He’s not out here claiming cigarettes are healthy. He’s defending them because he’s good at arguing and because the job pays extremely well. When he says “Everyone has a mortgage,” it hits a little too close to home. A lot of people would take a high paying job even if the product is harmful. That’s kind of the point the movie makes. In America, a legal job with a big paycheck often wins out over moral concerns.

And honestly, that’s not just a tobacco thing. Look at vaping. A CDC report from 2026 found that about 7% of adults vape, and a lot of them never smoked cigarettes before. That raises questions about how these products are advertised, especially to younger people who see vaping as safer or more trendy.

Then there’s marijuana. It’s still illegal at the federal level, but states like Colorado advertise dispensaries openly. Those ads show up online everywhere, even in states like North Carolina where marijuana is still illegal. So what do we do with that? Should advertisers be punished for breaking another state’s laws? Or is this just what happens when the Internet ignores state borders? The law hasn’t caught up, and the ethics are even messier.

The movie also throws the media into the conversation. The reporter who exposes Nick’s industry does reveal real problems, but she also uses him to get her story. So is she doing the right thing, or is she just chasing her own career? The film doesn’t give us a clean answer. It basically says that nobody in this system is completely innocent.

One big question the movie raises is whether the government should ban all vice advertising. Legally, the First Amendment protects commercial speech. Ethically, banning ads for harmful products might sound like the right move. But as philosopher John Stuart Mill argued, adults should be able to make their own choices as long as they’re not hurting others. That’s why we regulate things like secondhand smoke and ads aimed at kids instead of banning everything outright.

And let’s be real. Vice taxes bring in a ton of money. In 2024, federal and state governments collected 9.38 billion dollars in tobacco taxes. Some of that money funds programs like CHIP, which helps kids in low income families. So even harmful products end up supporting public services.

In the end, Thank You for Smoking doesn’t tell us what to think. It just shows how complicated these issues are. Lobbyists want money and influence. Reporters want the big story. Companies want profit. Consumers want freedom of choice. And somewhere in the middle of all that, we’re left trying to figure out what “ethical” even means.

The movie basically asks one big question How far would you go for money, for success, or just to win an argument

The Age of AI: The Future of Work in Sports Media

 After watching The Age of AI: The Future of Work, I started to realize how much artificial intelligence is already changing jobs today, not just in the future. AI has already taken over many factory and warehouse positions because robots are faster, more consistent, and rarely make mistakes. Seeing how quickly this change has happened makes the impact of AI feel very real, especially when thinking about my own future career.

As someone interested in sports media, the rise of AI feels both exciting and a little intimidating. AI tools are everywhere now, from platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to features built directly into apps people already use every day. AI no longer feels optional or avoidable. It has become part of how work gets done. In sports media, AI is already being used by major outlets like ESPN and Sports Illustrated. These companies use AI for things like data analysis, automated game recaps, highlight clipping, and audience engagement. ESPN has discussed how AI-powered analytics can improve broadcasts by giving fans deeper insights into player performance and game strategy. 

At the same time, AI has created real concerns about job security in sports media. Many journalists and broadcasters worry that AI-generated content could reduce the number of jobs available or push companies to focus more on speed than quality. AI can quickly generate recaps, headlines, and statistics, tasks that reporters used to spend hours working on. This makes it understandable why some people in the industry feel uncertain about the future. A survey of journalists found that although many are already using AI tools for things like research and idea generation, a majority see AI as a threat to journalism rather than a clear opportunity. Nieman Lab

Even with these concerns, AI also has clear benefits when used correctly. AI-driven analytics can improve sports coverage by offering deeper insights into player performance, team strategy, and game trends. This can help broadcasters and reporters explain the game better and give fans more information than ever before. However, AI still cannot replace emotion, unpredictability, and personal perspective. These are the elements that make sports exciting and meaningful to fans, and they are things only humans can truly provide.

From my own experience, I already use AI as a support tool rather than a replacement. I use it to help organize study notes, create outlines, and brainstorm ideas when I feel stuck. AI helps me get started, but the final product still depends on my creativity and decision making. This makes me believe that AI will not completely replace sports media careers, but it will change how people work in them.

Overall, the future of work in sports media will depend on balance. Instead of competing against AI, future professionals will need to learn how to work alongside it. AI can handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, giving people more time to focus on storytelling, analysis, and connecting with audiences. If used responsibly, AI can strengthen sports media without taking away the human connection that fans care about most. Learning how to adapt to this technology will be essential for anyone entering the sports media industry in the age of AI. 

Online Privacy

Online privacy often feels like something we only give up when we choose to post on social media. In reality, our personal information is being collected all the time, even when we are not actively sharing anything. Simply carrying a phone, using apps, or browsing the internet creates data about us. This includes our location, search history, messages, and online purchases. Many people do not realize how much of their daily life is tracked, which raises important questions about who can see this information and how it is used.

These concerns became clearer after watching TED Talks that explained how permanent online data can be. In his talk, Juan Enriquez describes personal data as an “electronic tattoo.” This means that once something is online, it can stay there forever. Even things like emails or old searches can come back later and affect job opportunities or personal relationships. His talk, Your Online Life, Permanent as a Tattoo, explains how our digital actions can follow us long after we forget about them. 
This shows that online activity is rarely private. Messages and searches pass through many systems where they can be stored or reviewed. While the government says this data collection helps prevent crime, it can feel unnecessary when it involves people who have done nothing wrong.

Another major online privacy concern is location tracking. In her TED Talk, Catherine Crump explains how even small amounts of data, like the places your phone records, can reveal very personal details about your life. Her talk, The Small and Surprisingly Dangerous Detail the Police Track About You, shows how location information is collected and used without most people realizing it.
When location data is sold to third parties, it can be combined with other information to create detailed profiles about individuals. These profiles are often used for targeted advertising, but they can also influence decisions like job offers, loan approvals, or insurance coverage. This raises important concerns about consent and fairness, since most people do not know this data is being collected or shared.

As a sports media student, I understand that having an online presence is almost unavoidable. Social media plays a huge role in sports reporting, athlete branding, and fan engagement, so being active online is often expected in this field. It makes sense that future employers may look at public posts to see how professional and responsible someone appears online. However, there is a big difference between reviewing public content and having access to private messages or detailed location history. Knowing that the government or companies could track personal information that has nothing to do with my career feels invasive. In a field built around public communication, it is still important to have boundaries between professional visibility and personal privacy.

While better laws are needed to protect online privacy, individuals can still take steps to protect themselves. Checking app permissions, turning off constant location tracking, deleting apps you do not trust, and thinking carefully before posting online can help reduce how much data is collected. Online privacy should be treated like basic hygiene. It requires regular attention, not just a one time effort.

In conclusion, online privacy is about much more than what we choose to post on social media. It involves how our data is collected, stored, and shared each day without most people knowing. Understanding how this system works is important in a world where digital information is permanent. Protecting privacy means being more aware of online behavior and pushing for stronger rules that protect people, not just technology companies.

Eight Values of Free Expression

When people first learn about the First Amendment, it is usually taught in a historical context. The Founding Fathers created it in response to censorship, monarchies, and punishment for speaking out against those in power. At the time, expressing opinions meant writing books, pamphlets, or newspapers. Today, expression looks very different. People share ideas through social media, protests, journalism, art, and everyday conversations. Even though the methods have changed, the purpose of the First Amendment has stayed the same. A democracy cannot survive without the freedom to criticize leaders and challenge authority.

The Eight Values of Free Expression help explain why free speech is still so important today. One of the most important values is the Marketplace of Ideas. This theory suggests that truth is most likely to emerge when people are free to share and debate ideas without fear of punishment. In modern society, social media acts as a large marketplace where many voices can be heard. While this system has flaws, such as misinformation and the focus on engagement rather than truth, it is still better than the alternative. Allowing the government or powerful institutions to decide what ideas are acceptable would limit debate and slow progress. Free expression also supports participation in self government by allowing citizens to discuss policies, protest injustice, and stay informed. Without free speech, democracy would lose its meaning.

Another value that stands out is Protect Dissent. The First Amendment exists so people can speak out against the government and the majority, even when their opinions are unpopular. History shows that dissenting voices are often the ones that lead to change. A strong example is Justice Harlan’s dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson, where he argued that the Constitution should treat all people equally. 

Although his view was not accepted at the time, it later became an important part of civil rights progress. You can read more about the background and impact of this case on the National Archives site here. Today, this value can also be seen in movements like Black Lives Matter, where activists use free expression to challenge systemic injustice and government policies. Protecting dissent is especially important during times of crisis or fear, because rights matter most when it is hardest to defend them.

Individual Self Fulfillment is the value of free expression that feels most personal to me. Free speech allows people to explore who they are by expressing their beliefs, opinions, and creativity. In today’s culture, there is often pressure to conform, especially online, where cancel culture and public backlash can discourage people from speaking honestly. When people are afraid to express themselves, personal growth and creativity suffer. Free expression helps individuals develop their identity and connect with others through shared experiences and ideas. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has a helpful overview of the role of free speech in personal development here. As someone who is very devoted to their Christian faith I have learned how important it is to hear different perspectives, while evangelizing... but also speak up when something feels unfair. Free expression is not only about politics or laws. It is about giving people the freedom to grow, question, and fully participate in society.

My Top 5 News Sources

  In the ever changing world it's important to always stay up to date with news globally. News has become more and more available due to the advancements in technology. Unfortunately, this also means that there has been an increase of false news. Its difficult to be able what is reliable and whats not so you just have to stay diligent and review more than one news source. All the news that I follow are very different and all unique in their own way. My top five news sources are:

 Instagram 

Instagram is traditionally thought to be social networking site but with the over 2 billion users many of them are news pages. The different news pages vary dramatically with all them covering different things in different ways. Instagram is really good for the fastest information in my opinion because it is very easy to make a post and there are so many users so companies try to break the news there first. I follow several news pages on instagram including all the major news companies. Instagram biggest problem is that there are maybe too many news accounts on the app and many of them are incredibly unreliable. Also, on instagram most people only read the headline and the article that is linked to the post. This can alter somebody perspective because they are only reading the headline rather than digger deeper to know more by reading the actual article.

YouTube

YouTube offers videos on almost every topic imaginable, from news and education to entertainment, sports, and music. I use YouTube often to watch creators, tutorials, and live streams, and I follow channels that match my interests. It’s easy to stay up to date with trending videos and personalized recommendations. YouTube is accessible on phones, computers, and smart TVs through the app and website.

X

    X is another social networking site but is a little more established than Instagram and TikTok. X, formerly known as Twitter is mainly just thoughts and feelings people share. In the individual posts people mainly did not add more than two sentences.  News sources use their X accounts to provide photos and links to their news stories. X has been known to be a very controversial platform because many people have engaged in heated arguments. This has actually caused people to stay away from the platform. X is one of the best for having a short and condensed version of the news.

ESPN

    As a large sports fan its natural for to closely follow an all sports news network. ESPN does a great job of covering all sports from football to cricket. I follow ESPN on all social media sites as well as frequently check the website. They provide up to date news on all sports as well as keeps a log of a lot game scores and seasons. ESPN also has several TV channels that feature live games, news, and talk shows. ESPN is a very entertaining way to keep up with the world of sports.

Fox News

As someone who follows current events closely, it’s natural to keep up with a major news network like Fox News. Fox News covers a wide range of topics including politics, business, world news, and opinion programming. I follow Fox News on social media and regularly check the website for breaking news and updates. They provide timely coverage of national and international events, along with analysis from various commentators. Fox News also operates multiple TV channels that feature live news broadcasts, interviews, and talk shows throughout the day. With the Fox News app and website, their content is very accessible. Fox News is a widely used source for staying informed about current events.