Don’t Try This at Home
It is clear to me that most of the people that I see on a daily basis are, somehow, terribly susceptible to the suggestions of fad, fashion, and advertisement. There is plenty of direct evidence for this, not the least of which is the simple fact that showy, glitzy, advertisement that is entirely devoid of any substance and which appeals solely to a visceral response is common, has been common for decades, and is expanding.
As an example, consider car commercials which only shows a style of operation which is so reckless that the advertiser feels compelled to add a disclaimer saying “Do not attempt”. What is the point of dedicating an entire advertisement to functionality of a product that cannot be used? I submit that such advertisement is intended to convey very little information value (except to inform potential consumers that such functionality exists) but intended rather to provoke an emotional response. Anyone who buys a car based on their emotional response to reckless operation is demonstrating either great susceptibility to advertising pressure or their generally poor judgment. The success of such advertisement shows just how easily most people are led around by advertisements.
As another example, look at the protean nature of fashion. Persons that the media tacitly agree are “celebrities” (Why “celebrity”? What exactly about crass materialism and base sensationalism are we expected to celebrate? I don’t feel like celebrating; I feel nauseous) have enormous power to steer fashion. Look at the way eye make-up application has changed in a few short years. Women gob the stuff on because a couple of bubbly brats did (If Ms. Spears were killed in an accident today, there would be millions to be made by shorting the stock of every cosmetics producer in America). Here again, these decisions about fashion are not being made in a calm objective manner but rather by insecure losers afraid to think for themselves.
Still, history and data trends are helpful guides. What will the future hold for these viscerally-guided vicissitudinous victims? Let’s look at phone usage as a predictor…
A generation ago, people aspired to be amongst the “haves” who boasted a phone in their house. Ma Bell, was the only game in town and your phone was her property. It was a big black bakelite monstrosity that weighed more than some modern cars, had a big ice cream scoop-like hand set that could crack walnuts, and had a big honking bell inside which was rung with an actual hammer. The phone was connected to the wall either directly or by a cable which was shrouded by a fiber composed of what appeared to be a secret mixture of asbestos, hemp, and yak hair. The only thing you had freedom to selected was the setting in which the phone was mounted. People did call long distance, but long distance calling was considered an extravagance and was rare. Even the numbers were different. Phone “numbers” in those days weren’t even numbers; they were “listings” like “Tremont 6200”. When the big bell rang, you dropped what you were doing, walked over to the phone and put the scoop on the side of your head.
Today, people aspire to be “haves” who boast a phone in their pocket. You phone service might be through Qwest, Verizon, or Cingular, or any of the other baby bell off-shoots. The phone are uniformly small palm size or smaller devices in a multitude of user selected colors. Phones are small and slim rectangles and you can order up whatever ringtone or signal you like. Numbers are now ten digit affairs and people don’t have just home and office. Now they have numbers for home, office, cell, car, fax, pager, etc. Calling, local or long distance, is cheap and so common that people place and receive calls from their cars, at dinner, and in the john. Today, when the phone rings (tones, whatever), people still grab the entire phone and stick it on their on the side of their heads.
In the future, phones will be smaller and will do even more in more colors and with more and louder sounds which are all user selected. Users will have hundreds of phone numbers by which they can be contacted and each number will be a string of thirty alphanumeric characters which must be changed every two weeks for security reasons. Phone will again be affixed to the wall in a house such that, even when out and about, when it rings/tone/vibrates/etc. people will rush home and stick their heads to the phone mounted on their wall.
Those capricous clowns deserve it.
As an example, consider car commercials which only shows a style of operation which is so reckless that the advertiser feels compelled to add a disclaimer saying “Do not attempt”. What is the point of dedicating an entire advertisement to functionality of a product that cannot be used? I submit that such advertisement is intended to convey very little information value (except to inform potential consumers that such functionality exists) but intended rather to provoke an emotional response. Anyone who buys a car based on their emotional response to reckless operation is demonstrating either great susceptibility to advertising pressure or their generally poor judgment. The success of such advertisement shows just how easily most people are led around by advertisements.
As another example, look at the protean nature of fashion. Persons that the media tacitly agree are “celebrities” (Why “celebrity”? What exactly about crass materialism and base sensationalism are we expected to celebrate? I don’t feel like celebrating; I feel nauseous) have enormous power to steer fashion. Look at the way eye make-up application has changed in a few short years. Women gob the stuff on because a couple of bubbly brats did (If Ms. Spears were killed in an accident today, there would be millions to be made by shorting the stock of every cosmetics producer in America). Here again, these decisions about fashion are not being made in a calm objective manner but rather by insecure losers afraid to think for themselves.
Still, history and data trends are helpful guides. What will the future hold for these viscerally-guided vicissitudinous victims? Let’s look at phone usage as a predictor…
A generation ago, people aspired to be amongst the “haves” who boasted a phone in their house. Ma Bell, was the only game in town and your phone was her property. It was a big black bakelite monstrosity that weighed more than some modern cars, had a big ice cream scoop-like hand set that could crack walnuts, and had a big honking bell inside which was rung with an actual hammer. The phone was connected to the wall either directly or by a cable which was shrouded by a fiber composed of what appeared to be a secret mixture of asbestos, hemp, and yak hair. The only thing you had freedom to selected was the setting in which the phone was mounted. People did call long distance, but long distance calling was considered an extravagance and was rare. Even the numbers were different. Phone “numbers” in those days weren’t even numbers; they were “listings” like “Tremont 6200”. When the big bell rang, you dropped what you were doing, walked over to the phone and put the scoop on the side of your head.
Today, people aspire to be “haves” who boast a phone in their pocket. You phone service might be through Qwest, Verizon, or Cingular, or any of the other baby bell off-shoots. The phone are uniformly small palm size or smaller devices in a multitude of user selected colors. Phones are small and slim rectangles and you can order up whatever ringtone or signal you like. Numbers are now ten digit affairs and people don’t have just home and office. Now they have numbers for home, office, cell, car, fax, pager, etc. Calling, local or long distance, is cheap and so common that people place and receive calls from their cars, at dinner, and in the john. Today, when the phone rings (tones, whatever), people still grab the entire phone and stick it on their on the side of their heads.
In the future, phones will be smaller and will do even more in more colors and with more and louder sounds which are all user selected. Users will have hundreds of phone numbers by which they can be contacted and each number will be a string of thirty alphanumeric characters which must be changed every two weeks for security reasons. Phone will again be affixed to the wall in a house such that, even when out and about, when it rings/tone/vibrates/etc. people will rush home and stick their heads to the phone mounted on their wall.
Those capricous clowns deserve it.
posted by Minotaur at 1:13 PM
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