{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ep 8: The moral landscape of Breaking Bad; Can one Break Good?","description":"Spoiler Warning! Breaking bad will be discussed in some detail in this episode.\r\nSean points out that the show features morally gray characters with complicated mortal structures\r\nBy the Terminator Twins we mean the Cousins \r\nRyver points to a sense of unnaturalness about the twins\r\nSean brings up Walt Jr. as an example of an interestingly banal character.\r\nBruce points out that until the 3rd episode from the end of the series Walt Jr. never has to make any moral choices\r\nRyver points out that in terms of the story he takes very little action\r\nBruce suggests instead providing a context for the actions of others and goes on to break down what normative ethical positions he feels some of the main characters represent.\r\nSkyler: Value ethics\/pragmatism\r\nHank: Virtue ethics\r\nJesse: Deontology\r\nSean suggests another analysis\r\nGomez: Lawful good\r\nBruce talks a little about how Hanks character develops and suggests that by the end he has shifted to lawful good\r\nIn speaking of secondary characters who hold strong moral positions Bruce brings up Tuco Salamanca as an example of a strict rule based morality.\r\nSean poses a question central to the show; Are violent actions necessarily “Bad” actions?\r\nRyver brings up a link between violence in WWII movies and Breaking Bad's treatment of it.\r\nSean asks if our American culture's attitudes toward violence in media have an effect on our analysis\r\nSean goes on to talk about how violence is used to evoke different reactions over the course of the show\r\nRyver brings up Gustavo Fring as a representation of vengeance\r\nThe group discusses a particularly violent scene where in a twist changes our attitudes about the on screen violence as it happens and this leads to talking about how violence is often used to delineate the moral placement of characters in other shows and how that relates to the muddier waters of Breaking Bad.\r\nBruce talks about the slippery slope of Walter White's journey into a world of violence.\r\nSean talks a little about Amorality and Saul Goodman as its avatar.\r\nBruce suggests that Saul may have some sort of professional ethics\r\nRyver points out that Saul seems to have some kind of history walking the line of legal but not moral\r\nSean reinterprets the scene being discussed as a symbolic event to serve his interests.\r\nBruce offers up Mike Ehrmantraut as another example of amoral behavior but qualifies that he seems to have a code of conduct.\r\nSean counters that Mike seems amoral but it's revealed that his actual moral structure relates to his family and a kind of dark pragmatism.\r\nRyver points out that Mike seems to show a sense of responsibility toward the arrested members of the team.\r\nRyver brings up Mikes spartan lifestyle and the group discusses what that tells us about his character\r\nSean points out Mike's car as a metaphor for his life\r\nBruce points out how cars are used as a means to relay information about all the characters in the show\r\nSean talks a little about cars as general metaphor in American television overall.\r\nRyver brings up Gus Fring again to discuss revenge and relationships as the seat of value.\r\nBruce suggests that Gus is an example of a purpose driven life centered on his revenge motivation.\r\nRyver points out that this makes Gus a strong consequentialist in moral terms\r\nSean talks about how Gus represents an interesting example of a character who is singular in purpose but with a rich personality behind it as juxtaposed to most TV examples of that type of character.\r\nThe guys finally talk about the episodes central question of breaking good\r\nThe discussion turns to the juxtaposition of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman and how they represent opposing trajectories.\r\nBruce takes the last word to discuss the relationship between narratives we choose to reiterate in our culture and how we frame the moral narrative of our lives and thinking.\r\nAnd as always please give us your honest review on iTunes and Stitcher. It helps us make the show better with every one we get to read.\r\nHelp keep the show going and the moon safe by supporting us on Patreon\r\nhttps:\/\/patreon.com\/Philosophy\r\nHelp keep us from disappearing by engaging us on the social media platform of your choice:\r\nhttp:\/\/www.philosophicalchaingang.com\r\nhttp:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/professormetal\r\nhttp:\/\/www.twitter.com\/PChainGang\r\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PChainGang\r\nhttps:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/PChainGang\/\r\nhttp:\/\/www.soundcloud.com\/philosophical-chain-gang","author_name":"Professor Metal's Irate Debate and Calamitous Commentary","author_url":"http:\/\/www.PhilosophicalChainGang.com","html":"