Consumerism
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- mitsu0
personally, i think it's natural to desire things that are visually appealing. it's a trait we've had since birth. and i believe it's also a natural desire to create things that have this kind of appeal.
this is one reason the consumer/business relationship works so well.if this were agreeable, to which group, would you say, lies the responsibility of moderation? should the marketing team or graphic designers 'dull the finish', so to speak, to help alleviate the effects of consumerism?
- Blofeldt0
Anyone who hates modern consumerism should look up this chap Edward Bernays
- mr_snuggles0
Of course most consumer instincts are natural, but there is some responsibility on the part of advertisers and package designers, etc to take away some of the overly emotional aspects in their designs. It's totally "preying" on consumers to "help" them make them believe they need a particular product.
If design was less superfluous then it leaves room for individual interpretation and hopefully consumers could make more "educated" decisions on which product is truly best. If that makes any sense..
- Blofeldt0
I was going to say that I didn't believe that a consumer instinct is natural.
But i guess it is, the reason why most jungle tribes etc have vansihed is because they don't fancy hunting for their food and like the idea of comfy sofas, warm houses and fridges.
- mitsu0
competition is stiff in marketing and advertising and the act of letting your conscience be your guide can be detrimental to your business. it seems in order to stay afloat, many companies favor their shrewd marketing tactics over ethics, or is there more to it than that?
- MLVR0
pirateism:
http://www.mlvr.com/NT/AF_WWYS.m…
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There are too many brands failing in their hunt for impact, they forget that it's not just about impact but about sympathy.
- mr_snuggles0
Yep, if you are always letting your ethics make your decisions then you probably won't be making $70K a year, but you'll probably be able to look at yourself in the mirror when you're 60 and feel good about yourself.
On a personal level I think there is a happy medium that is acheivable, my stance is that if I get a few grains of honesty in what I'm doing and restraining myself from doing an overly emotional piece for the sake of luring in a consumer than I can keep happy with myself for the time being...
I believe if I keep working hard then one day I can eventually get to a place where my work has more influence and has more impact, as naive as that may sound...
It's especially scary now with so many companies creating "lifestyle brands" and with so many "consumer loyalty" initiatives.
- Blofeldt0
What are the 'few grains of honesty' Mr Snuggles?
- mr_snuggles0
Taking away the "marketing speak" that riddles most ads, brochures, media kits, etc and replacing that with a little thing called "information"
- JazX0
Got two turntables and a microphone
- aquarius_moon70
if you are not willing to discuss these matters as they relate to the language of your reality, including visited websites, 'brand' decisions, lifestyle decisions, politics, health, geography, astronomy, and technology, then you will find yourself in a circular argument, a tautology of submission in which you fantasize a willing audience when, in fact, they are bound by the same restrictions and oppression that you help the corporation market. There is no silver lining, therefore, you are not obliged to not destroy the mechanism of oppressive reproduction.
- Blofeldt0
Surely the information is written in a specfic style to influence the audience. I don't see how it's any different to marketing speak. In fact, isn't this exactly what the article was talking about?
- mr_snuggles0
Of course it's specific, but I always try to have the copy written in a way that places the option in front of the consumer, rather than telling them that it's the best move they'll ever make in they're life.
Honestly I haven't read that article, I'm just speaking from my experience and how I feel about it...
I will take a look at it over lunch and maybe I'll have to go back on everything I've just said!
- Kuz0
the article is kinda short-sighted, unable to distinguish between individual desires for social signifiers and cultural identity and capitalisms ability to satisfy these desires quickly and efficiently. Nowhere does he argue that this is a bad thing, and none of you have argued it is either.
Material cultures have existed since there were such things humans. That in itself isn't a problem... so what is the problem? That lines of social distinctions have blurred and anyone can simply "buy" into any culture/status/group? Is this necessarily a bad thing? That it ain't just the king that can wear a crown?
- Blofeldt0
I think the argument is that it's wrong for western consumer culture to exploit workers from other parts of the world so we can have nice things at cheap prices, rather than, it's wrong to cross social groups by purchasing items.
- aquarius_moon70
sir, you have attributed value to this violent phenomenon of the 'king' wearing a crown. Is that crown made of paper and is the king bloated with ground beef? The qualitative nature of the product is the only relevant question, is it worth the price of admission/submission and, what other alternatives are offered to the consumers in a certain demographic in which to keep the currency flowing.
- Blofeldt0
Surely a products worth is dependent on the individuals perception of worth, through the items cultural associations.
- Kuz0
well that's not what the article is about blofeldt. The article seems to be about buying distinction.
and this comment.,.."the argument is that it's wrong for western consumer culture to exploit workers from other parts of the world so we can have nice things at cheap prices,"
i'm not even gonna get into, but it's about more than just consumerism.
- mitsu0
kuz, that end of consumerism isn't really so much of a problem, unless you're an elitest finding it harder and harder to fit yourself amoung the obscure ranks of society.
a real problem might be consumer debt, or the phychological effects of putting so much value into personal possessions as well as propagating the social need for acceptance.
- aquarius_moon70
indeed, mitsu, mental health ensures a population able to make responsible decisions from the ground up. It is so much more than any 'market' can perceive.