Marketing; Capitalism at work or I think i'll be sick.

[Thriller]

Well i just finished my exams so i thought i would discuss a topic i had been researching for one of my final paper.

Marketing. The art of selling you stuff you might or might not need (they don't care).
You might not notice it but you are being sold something about 214 times a day. From all the research i have done i can only conclude it has become a virus within developed society. They, are attempting to bombard you with so much information, make you associate every pleasure of life with their product's. As part of some seditious attempt to make their products such a vital aspect of your life that living with them makes more sense than without. That the idea of not having that object or service in your life would be unthinkable.

After about two weeks of studying this, it literally made me sick to my stomach. Love, life, art, compassion; they have no scruples about manipulating any of it to try to get you associate it with their product. I'm starting to actually believe that those in the marketing community would actually stab and rape their own mother on television if they beleived it would sell their goods/services.

I Know you may say "well i still choose want i want to buy". I'm beginning to find that actually less likely. You might be only choosing the from options that they want to leave you with. They have teams of psychologists, sociologists, focus groups, and are literally( i mean literally) trying to create a consumer environment that eliminates choice. They don't want you to think, just to buy. The new wave of marketing is geared towards all our base senses. To evoke emotion and sense of attachment to brands. They want zombies not free thinkers. It's like they think people are merely walking atm machines they are trying to crack. If you want to use the ATM you first have to put something of worth in the bank but since that costs them..... they look for the cheaper alternative, like most criminals.

I can't believe I'm using the word criminal but they try to subvert anything they can all in the name of profit and it makes me sick. Actually what makes me really sick is I know I have fallen for it. I mean who hasn't watched a catchy coke commercial and when they are at a store bought themselves a coke, you know water or juice is much better for you, but you'll have a better time with a coke right?

I had to share that with someone

I feel dirty now, time for a shower.

[Mister Sandman]

Capitalism, Does not work.

I describe it as economic Darwinism.

The survival of the fittest.

People are turned into a commodity. People back stab just to get ahead economically. Disgusting.

[agapooka]

It isn't a big leap to say that corporations run governments and that countries themselves are often corporations. For example, Canada is a corporation, registered in the US. Commercials, more accurately called corporate propaganda, have the same malevolent purpose as any propaganda, which is to control a population's thoughts and define the thinkable and the unthinkable, etc.

I've been debating points with which I don't agree in the past, but it's much easier for me to defend 2 + 2 != 4 than it is for me to find a legitimate reason for the current state of mind control encouraged by corporations among others. It's good for the economy? What IS the economy? A hungry machine which feeds off human energy, taking what they need and giving them what they're told that they want instead. We apparently call this progress, too. The truth is, people were much happier in a so-called primitive society. They had to work less, and therefore had more leisure time, greatly reducing stress. Continual stress kills and that's an understatement.

As a result, we have a stressed-out, tired society, depending on comforts, luxuries and the kind of entertainment that they don't need, in order that they may forget their meaningless existences. So they are, toiling to feed the hungry machine which threatens to make them miserable if they do not. And yes, without the skills to live, which have been replaced by dependency on the aforementioned machine, they will be miserable.

[Thriller]

It isn't a big leap to say that corporations run governments and that countries themselves are often corporations. For example, Canada is a corporation, registered in the US. Commercials, more accurately called corporate propaganda, have the same malevolent purpose as any propaganda, which is to control a population's thoughts and define the thinkable and the unthinkable, etc.

I've been debating points with which I don't agree in the past, but it's much easier for me to defend 2 + 2 != 4 than it is for me to find a legitimate reason for the current state of mind control encouraged by corporations among others. It's good for the economy? What IS the economy? A hungry machine which feeds off human energy, taking what they need and giving them what they're told that they want instead. We apparently call this progress, too. The truth is, people were much happier in a so-called primitive society. They had to work less, and therefore had more leisure time, greatly reducing stress. Continual stress kills and that's an understatement.

As a result, we have a stressed-out, tired society, depending on comforts, luxuries and the kind of entertainment that they don't need, in order that they may forget their meaningless existences. So they are, toiling to feed the hungry machine which threatens to make them miserable if they do not. And yes, without the skills to live, which have been replaced by dependency on the aforementioned machine, they will be miserable.

thanks pooka for your reasonable and well laid out comment. (for a change)

I didn't even touch on the government aspect but I'm glad you picked up on it. Because government parties and candidates are seeking the same marketing advice from these experts to try to persuade public opinion in their interest. "Global Warming" became "Climate Change" on the advice of a marketing expert; "Estate Tax" to "Death Tax", "Withdrawl of Troops" to "Cut and Run"..... it goes on.
This is a new and dangerous precedent in politics. Instead of judging legislation and ideas on their merit, it is turning into a PR battle about who can package their agenda in way that lubes it up just enough that the American public will bend over and take it without complaint.

PS. Sorry about all the spelling mistakes in the original.

[agapooka]

Of course, this is just the beginning. Money and profit are one thing, but ask yourself what it represents. WHY does money even have value?

The sole purpose of the monstrous machine, "the economy", seems to be to grow, in disregard of everything else. It is like a cancer, quite literally. It grows and grows, diverting useful resources towards itself, that it may grow even further.

Others suffer. Others still are brainwashed into feeding the machine indiscriminately. They work for the machine for money. They give the money back to the machine to get things that help them forget the machine. It sounds matrixy when I use the word "machine". Heh.

[Thriller]

The problem is not the system; It's just a tool. I can use my hammer to build a house or bash a skull in. The problem lies with a lack of ethical business practices as well as regulation regulating the former in the US. The beauty of capitalism is that if enough people wake up to what is going on, a capitalist system has the ability to transition to meet their needs. ie. Responsible business practices, meaningful content, elimination of willful misinformation... Some companies are slowly waking up to this fact and others attempt to subvert it (dictate the market) and this is where we need socially responsible government and independent media and news to step in and not be intimidated by buzz words like socialism and unpatriotic. It's a very naive to believe the free market is perfect.

[RBR]

don`t be so mean ....
I agree with you, ugly, evil corporations... hate them, their ideology, their means of making business, they hunger for money and market share, but.... I represent one of them.. ...and doing they dirty work, massing with consumers mind...making fortunes from stuffs made from E(something. something.something.), selling illusions...
hate myself... but for this I made law school and masters in business...19 years of study, and continuing ...
It is a good way to make a living, if you have the nerves, brain and stomach for this..., if not...you will become just a "collateral damage":-D

[Thriller]

don`t be so mean ....
I agree with you, ugly, evil corporations... hate them, their ideology, their means of making business, they hunger for money and market share, but.... I represent one of them.. ...and doing they dirty work, massing with consumers mind...making fortunes from stuffs made from E(something. something.something.), selling illusions...
hate myself... but for this I made law school and masters in business...19 years of study, and continuing ...
It is a good way to make a living, if you have the nerves, brain and stomach for this..., if not...you will become just a "collateral damage":-D

The contradiction that is a lawyer's conscience.

Quod me nutrit me destruit.

[agapooka]

Capitalism would be pretty sweet. Unfortunately, we have something that's more along the lines of corporatism.

Source

Franklin D. Roosevelt in an April 29, 1938 message to Congress warned that the growth of private power could lead to fascism:

The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.

From the same message:

The Growing Concentration of Economic Power. Statistics of the Bureau of Internal Revenue reveal the following amazing figures for 1935: "Ownership of corporate assets: Of all corporations reporting from every part of the Nation, one-tenth of 1 percent of them owned 52 percent of the assets of all of them.

[Thade]

Originally Monopolies were allowed, examples Morgan Steel, Rockefeller Oil, etc. After many social issues ("The Octopus" by Frank Norris) monopolies and vertical corporate integration were no longer allowed. When Coke-Cola first was produced it had cocaine in it (as it was an often prescribed drug back then by several psychologists including Freud no one thought it mattered, Coke knew it increased addiction and didn't care). Coke-Cola also once attempted to use subliminal messaging in Theatre ads before films. These were later banned. All the focus groups and market research do is give companies an idea of what the customer believes they want.

Is selling a bottle water to a thirsty man wrong? Nope, price gouging him for it would be though.

There will always be those who view "the corporate" giant as something evil and dangerous (which it often is). As long as these people are keeping watch and fighting the system the rest of us can sleep soundly at night. Especially if we don't currently have a job and are living on our savings so we can't go spend willy-nilly on insignificant crap.

As for the purchasing decisions I currently make, I have to be honest most of the commercials I see on TV are utter crap and make me feel stupider. I buy things based on friend recommendation and past performance from the company. It's why though I have often found Budweiser commercials to be the highest quality beer commercial (though Red Stripe runs a close second Hurray Beer!) I have nearly always bought Yeungling (America's Oldest Brewery) or Miller Light (best value for money in the area as many places have 5cent draft nights on it). The only products that I buy on a regular basis are books...and I read at least 20 pages in the store before making a decision regardless of author as sometimes even the greats can produce crap.

So in conclusion, sure some American's may be brainwashed into believing they need endless amounts of crap that will be lost in their three car garages. These are also the same American's that can be seen on Jay Leno's "Battle of the Jay Walking All-Stars" and don't know who is on the $1 bill. I pity our sad sad future as these people are often even college graduates (and not online degree printers; real colleges).

[Apadamek]

Well i just finished my exams so i thought i would discuss a topic i had been researching for one of my final paper.

Marketing. The art of selling you stuff you might or might not need (they don't care).
You might not notice it but you are being sold something about 214 times a day. From all the research i have done i can only conclude it has become a virus within developed society. They, are attempting to bombard you with so much information, make you associate every pleasure of life with their product's. As part of some seditious attempt to make their products such a vital aspect of your life that living with them makes more sense than without. That the idea of not having that object or service in your life would be unthinkable.

After about two weeks of studying this, it literally made me sick to my stomach. Love, life, art, compassion; they have no scruples about manipulating any of it to try to get you associate it with their product. I'm starting to actually believe that those in the marketing community would actually stab and rape their own mother on television if they beleived it would sell their goods/services.

I Know you may say "well i still choose want i want to buy". I'm beginning to find that actually less likely. You might be only choosing the from options that they want to leave you with. They have teams of psychologists, sociologists, focus groups, and are literally( i mean literally) trying to create a consumer environment that eliminates choice. They don't want you to think, just to buy. The new wave of marketing is geared towards all our base senses. To evoke emotion and sense of attachment to brands. They want zombies not free thinkers. It's like they think people are merely walking atm machines they are trying to crack. If you want to use the ATM you first have to put something of worth in the bank but since that costs them..... they look for the cheaper alternative, like most criminals.

I can't believe I'm using the word criminal but they try to subvert anything they can all in the name of profit and it makes me sick. Actually what makes me really sick is I know I have fallen for it. I mean who hasn't watched a catchy coke commercial and when they are at a store bought themselves a coke, you know water or juice is much better for you, but you'll have a better time with a coke right?

I had to share that with someone


I feel dirty now, time for a shower.

Explain why that is a bad thing.

[agapooka]

He's jealous of a system operating with cancer-like properties, because it's treated with more importance than human lives and minds, such as his own.

But it's ok. Everyone wants to feel more important than a fictitious creation that attributes monetary value to what others may argue to be invaluable.

[Thriller]

Well i just finished my exams so i thought i would discuss a topic i had been researching for one of my final paper.

Marketing. The art of selling you stuff you might or might not need (they don't care).
You might not notice it but you are being sold something about 214 times a day. From all the research i have done i can only conclude it has become a virus within developed society. They, are attempting to bombard you with so much information, make you associate every pleasure of life with their product's. As part of some seditious attempt to make their products such a vital aspect of your life that living with them makes more sense than without. That the idea of not having that object or service in your life would be unthinkable.

After about two weeks of studying this, it literally made me sick to my stomach. Love, life, art, compassion; they have no scruples about manipulating any of it to try to get you associate it with their product. I'm starting to actually believe that those in the marketing community would actually stab and rape their own mother on television if they beleived it would sell their goods/services.

I Know you may say "well i still choose want i want to buy". I'm beginning to find that actually less likely. You might be only choosing the from options that they want to leave you with. They have teams of psychologists, sociologists, focus groups, and are literally( i mean literally) trying to create a consumer environment that eliminates choice. They don't want you to think, just to buy. The new wave of marketing is geared towards all our base senses. To evoke emotion and sense of attachment to brands. They want zombies not free thinkers. It's like they think people are merely walking atm machines they are trying to crack. If you want to use the ATM you first have to put something of worth in the bank but since that costs them..... they look for the cheaper alternative, like most criminals.

I can't believe I'm using the word criminal but they try to subvert anything they can all in the name of profit and it makes me sick. Actually what makes me really sick is I know I have fallen for it. I mean who hasn't watched a catchy coke commercial and when they are at a store bought themselves a coke, you know water or juice is much better for you, but you'll have a better time with a coke right?

I had to share that with someone


I feel dirty now, time for a shower.

Explain why that is a bad thing.

well informed decision making is important to an economies health. Trying to dictate the market, is not.

And some of what Pooka said. People should not be treated as commodities but i believe the market will realize it's better business if they are not.

[agapooka]

That's where you're wrong, Thriller. It's much better business to control people. Not only is there a growing business TO control people, but people are so well controlled that even if they realise it, they can minimise it and continue serving their LORD, GOD ALMIGHTY OF THE ORI EMPIRE... err, I mean "corporate friends".

[Thriller]

That's where you're wrong, Thriller. It's much better business to control people. Not only is there a growing business TO control people, but people are so well controlled that even if they realise it, they can minimise it and continue serving their LORD, GOD ALMIGHTY OF THE ORI EMPIRE... err, I mean "corporate friends".

well that is up for serious debate.

First you have you answer, Why do we need an economy?
and then you might get an idea about why i believe it is not better business to control the individual.