Commercialism Preying On Humanity
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I’ve long known that a good portion of marketing is psychology. Advertising companies have made a science out of figuring out ways to not only get our attention, but to affect us emotionally. It’s usually done through shocking imagery, emotionally inducing music and attention-getting dialogs.
Daniel Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard and author of Stumbling on Happiness, wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times on Compassionate Commercialism. He lamented the quickly changing marketing environment, and discussed how current advertising trends are preying on our human nature and are subsequently hurting our society.
We are used to commercial tricks that play on our fears. The official-looking letter marked “Verification Audit” is actually a magazine subscription renewal form; the credit card company’s ominous call to “discuss your account” is actually an attempt to sell new services.
Should we now get used to commercial tricks that play on our humanity? How would we feel about a device planted in trash bins that screams “I’m stuck!” until the lid is opened, at which point it continues, “Stuck in a dead end job, that is — and if you are too, then let us show you how to make millions in real estate with no money down”? Is it O.K. to send a thousand doleful puppies into the streets with tags that say: “Thanks for checking. And speaking of checking, our bank charges no monthly fees”?
