I'm reading a really interesting book right now Brandwashed : tricks companies use to manipulate our minds and persuade us to buy by Martin Lindstom. See here on Amazon for more description:
http://amzn.com/0385531737 I really enjoy reading material that makes me think about living deliberately. I find the materialism in our culture to have grown so much in recent years - especially things marketed to new parents which prey on the generation's need to provide the very best for their children. (I think Gen Xers are particularly susceptible to this as our childhood was characterized by the "latch-key" phenomenon from the exploding divorce rates) The book is written from a man who is a hired consultant from the marketing industry. He helps companies/firms/brands (even Royal Families and celebrities but that's a whole 'nother ballgame) revamp their image and do metal imaging to find out how best to market their products. It's crazy psychology and really gets into human nature and why we buy. As I read, I notice that I fall victim to some of the ploys and others I am not so drawn into - most likely because I have been so aware of it. Still, reading it makes me stop and talk to Mac about how we are raising our children, what messages are we sending them in how we choose things. Whether it is choosing what food/products/clothes we buy or what we explain about messages in books and movies. And why is Dora or Hannah Montana on every article it can possibly be imprinted on. I love how the descriptions of Whole Foods discuss the highly planned signage that is prefabricated to look like a roadside farmer grabbed an old slate and some chalk for that country vibe. Not everyone is into reading Non-fiction the way I enjoy it, but it is important to be aware of WHY we are choosing things and do so deliberately.
2 comments:
The companies target to people just like me, I admit that I am an impulse shopper, and can be somewhat aware of branding on me, but I'm sure so many other things I have no clue are impacting me.
"I think Gen Xers are particularly susceptible to this as our childhood was characterized by the "latch-key" phenomenon from the exploding divorce rates"
I thought this was an interesting aside, because I was a latch-key kid who grew up in a neighborhood of latch-key kids, and at least where we lived, it was because we were part of two-income families, not divorced families. I'm sure there are many kids who are home alone because of divorce, but there are also many like us, who were home alone because one income wasn't enough to live in a decent neighborhood.
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