The joys of advertising

Several years ago Toyota featured Daryl Waltrip driving a pick-up tearing up lawns, driving into people's houses, laughing and hooting as he went. No doubt designed to “humorously” demonstrate the power of the pick-up, these ads glamorized bullying. I was so appalled that I called various Toyota dealers until I got someone in higher echelons with whom I could share my utter disgust with their ad.

OK, Earl and I are just two old curmudgeons. While I much prefer public television, we also watch commercial TV. However, since attending a workshop years ago on becoming a discerning TV watcher I've become more aware of the hidden values programs and ads communicate. Advertisers know that we are all deeply influenced by what we read, see, and hear and their goal is to make consuming our essential purpose in life.

The basic message promoted of the money makers is that people are incidental to profits. Everything is about money. Greed is good. Fear and violence sell. Truth telling becomes incidental. Exaggeration is the name of the game. People are valuable only as unthinking consumers. And it's working. Ours is an instant gratification culture. Even in our politics the party line is more important than people needs. Just look at our social policies, infrastructure failures, racial and ethnic divides, health care for profit system, immigration policies.... 

Organizations like ALEC make sure that business interests comes first, taxes stay low, the wealthy get preferential treatment, public education is undermined in favor of for profit charter schools, prisons are privatized, labor unions dismantled, pensions privatized or even eliminated, gun sales pre-empt public safety, and lobbyists write legislation and buy elections. Our politics, films, TV programs, and advertisers glorify violence, market fear, promote selfishness and greed. Smart phones are promoted as preferable to face to face interactions. Technology is designed to marginalize people and maximize profits. Instant gratification and simplistic solutions have replaced long range goals and planning. Who cares what we eat if agribusiness and junk food manufactures turn a profit. Just take a pill instead of eating nourishing organic foods or exercising. Ever wonder why we have an addiction problem? And let's ban abortion and birth control while we sell sex as a commodity.

Reality TV and many “news” channels glamorize bullying, rudeness, ideological sound bites, misdirection and half truths. I used to believe Americans were too smart to buy into the advertisers snake oil or what various media companies pass off as news and unbiased reporting, but I'm being proven wrong. After all, brainwashing works and when one is exposed to an idea or celebrity worship long enough one begins to doubt oneself.

Stores track my purchases and tailor coupons to my buying patterns. We are bombarded by telemarketers and scammers. I'm tired of being told what I should buy, want or believe. I'm appalled at the in-civility of our politicians, the petty partisan politics and self interest that pass for leadership.. Perhaps it's time we all rebel by turning off our TV's, curtail our use of smart phones to necessary calls and go visit our family and neighbors instead. In spite of what we are told, life and truth is not always easy, can't be reduced to an ideology, right/wrong dualism, or something we consume. Good decisions flow from studying facts, postponing gratification, practicing gratitude and concern for others.

Joyce Shutt is pastor emeritus of the Fairfield Mennonite Church.