http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGaOQKJik-s&feature=related
I came across the interesting video on youtube of people who composed a musical about consumerism. While it was entertaining, the video conveyed many of the messages we have gone over in class. Consumerism is what drags our attention away from what we need and draws us to the next big thing. In the song, he says "bought a samerai sword but forgot to pay my rent." This demonstrates how we lose track of what is important. A sword is obviously not something he needs and by letting advertisers speaak to his mind, he is neglecting what is important. The song lists a lot of things such as large houses, expensive cars and other things and even after listing this, he states "we want more." Why is it that the things we have never seem to satify us? Advertisers try to convince us that what we have is never enough. We let all of these ideas get into our heads thinking that it will be good in the long run and is something we have to have. Once something new is being advertised, people will forget about something like a flip phone and only want the itouch. The videos overall message is that we crave to have everything and it is nice for a while; but if we become over consumed, in the end we will be left with nothing. Our pull in the consumer world overcome our conciences and we end up sacrificing the things we need, for worthless desires.
-Nicole Talbi (this is the edited post
That was great and very true! It relates a lot to technology. Companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft are all trying to come out with the newer, better, faster version of computers, phones and video game consoles. Even though we have the "old" version that came out just months before, we're always lusting for that "new upgrade". We often do buy useless things that we regret buying later because of the freedom we have. I think it's almost a part of being an American. There's a lot of exposure and advertising to the newest products. We have online shopping if we don't have a store nearby. We have access and we have been led to believe that we have reason. I think it's the development of technology that makes us unsatisfied with what we already have. We seem to be thinking about new ideas all the time. Like the Simpson's episode with the dolls, the girls went crazy for the doll that was practically the same besides the one new addition to it. I also think getting all these new things makes us feel in control and in the loop.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting and accurate video. The fact is, that in our society, advertisers are so good at manipulating all of us (the consumers). We all want to have the new, best thing, and thus, we think that everything in every advertisement is the new, best thing, and therefore we need to have it. What also contributes to this, is competition. It is human nature to for people to compete with one another. Whether consciously, or unconsciously, I believe we all do this at times. When you see on person with something, you want the same thing, something better so you can keep up. This presents the scary idea that we are all advertisers as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat video! This extremely rlevant to our discussion of keeping up with the jones's. Once someone else does something, you feel you have to have it to be "cool." Also, the vicious attitube the man adopts at the beggining of the video is a valid impersination of how many americans act. Stuck up, selfish, bossy and demanding products right now. Also, the fact that whenever you see something new in the advertisements, you feel you need it is extremely true in our society, as is the manipulation of the advertisers on "weak" consumers.
ReplyDeleteNicole, that was soo cool!! Anyway, the main singer/consumer looked, to me, like the devil--with the unshaven face and the sometimes plotting looks. He constantly is encouraging us to engage in greed, to lust after 'things'. Especially around our school you always see the brand name bags and people trying to mold themselves into what advertisers have molded into the perfect image. Like you said people always want the next best thing. Has consumerism clouded people's priorities so much that they've forgotten how to be an individual not a billboard?
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