In a consumerist society such as ours it's been my experience that critical thinking often goes the way of the dodo. Companies vie for your attention and dollar with a hurricane of images, ideas, glitter and flash. V2.2 is sooooo much better than V2.11, you should toss that dinosaur of a thing and buy the new one immediately. You should also consume as much as you possibly can. Not only will it make you sexier, more popular and happier but it'll give you the chance to buy sports clothes, a gym membership and exercise equipment so that you can counteract your consumption with yes, you guessed it, more consumption! I know it sounds a bit crazy but don't worry: experts all agree that the more you spend the better our economy will do which means that you will be able to make more money! Don't have enough money right now? No worries, we have credit! Now you can spend money you don't have on stuff, then spend money you do have on the fact that you didn't have it when you wanted to spend it! We live in a time where these messages are taken to heart and held far more closely than any prayer or mantra.2 As a result of this maelstrom of pitches, empty promises and false hopes the below ads, packaging and images exist.
What's so bad about that? It's a yummy salty can of peanuts with a sophisticated fellow endorsing their overall goodness. I quite like that chap! Ok, fair point, folks in monocles are pretty great. Lets have another image: can you see the trend?
No, it's not that they're sold at Trader Joes, or Walmart or any other large shrine of ingestion3.
Ok, these are also sold in many a Walmart. If you want to stay with that guess I'll score you at 50%. For the folks that know what it is I'm pointing out I'll confirm for you the idea I'm driving at. For the folks that still don't have a clue what I'm trying to say but are enjoying the trip, bless you, your persistence is about to be rewarded.
All of the above images, ads, packages have one message in common. EAT MY BABIES! What the fuck? Really? That can't be right. Have another look. Mr. Peanut, the frolicking gummy bears, the smug, self important Mayor McCheese: all made of the very stuff they want you to ingest. Their image lives on, the things you're supposed to consume are much smaller versions of them, ipso facto "EAT MY BABIES" is the message they are very successfully conveying.
Sick fucks eh? That's not the half of it. I've saved the best for last.
Holy Christ on a pogo stick! Not only should I eat your babies but you'll happily join me! Like an apprehensive bystander at a train wreck lets venture in for a closer look.
I don't think even Hannibal Lecter himself ever looked so satisfied.4
I'm not against eating any of these yummy things.5 I just think that it's important for folks to realize the messages being thrusted into their minds that lead them toward a particular conclusion/action. You should then use that information to weigh in on other messages from that company. Think your products are good for me? You also think baby eating is ok. I'll compare those two ideas and form my own conclusion.
You should too.
<< Past Future >>1It has lights that twinkle with the sunrise!
2Though I would count many different forms of "instant enlightenment" a close second
3Good guess though
4Perhaps it's because he ate other people and not his own offspring
5Ok, as a vegetarian I guess I am for some of them, but not because of the advertising