Christmas and Consumerism
Jeanwah
Posts: 6,363
Christmas time, or "the holiday season" if you prefer gentler, more politically correct words in your ears, carries with it a frantic all-out blitz of seasonal advertising. As the end of the year approaches, consumers are reminded constantly to go ahead and spend any cash we may have managed to save during the year. The companies desperate for our dollars are merciless in their attack. Any reason their research indicates might possibly entice a consumer to purchase a product becomes a lofty principle woven between alluring images. Shopping rises to foremost concern in the national agenda.
In our daily lives within this capitalist culture, we are exposed to advertisements at such a constant rate that I don't think I would even want to know a statistical estimate. In fact, I'm sure my brain has a stat stored away that it overheard somewhere, but did not allow access to my consciousness in a vain attempt to protect me from pain. Despite the obvious inundation of manipulative messages, how often do people actually take the time to contemplate what they are absorbing? Most are too afraid to consider the situation seriously.
A closer look at some of the ludicrous pitches is instantly offensive to anyone with even a slight sensitivity. The most shockingly offensive holiday commercials for me are those that casually encourage people to purchase absurdly luxurious items for their loved ones this holiday season.
Lexus, in a series of commercials depicting some alternate universe of infinite wealth and leisure, sets the standard for upper crust gift giving. We are shown just how happy and proud our husband or father will be when he sees his gigantic new SUV with the leather interior and CD player sitting in the driveway wrapped in a red bow. Who buys someone a car for Christmas? Especially a luxury car! Is Lexus targeting the elusive professional athlete demographic, or just trying to make the rest of us feel bad about ourselves? Even Shaq only bought each of his teammates a Rolex after winning the NBA title. He didn't give out a fleet of giant luxury vehicles to show his thanks.
Meanwhile, jewelry cartels and department stores conspire to counsel men that no gift pleases a wife more than a diamond necklace, ring, bracelet, or at least earrings. Grateful wives clad in silky lingerie imply exactly what gift men should expect in return for their expenditure. The price is not quite as lavish as the tag on a Yuletide Lex, but we're still talking about dropping five grand on a single gift. Of course, the wives see the ads too, so the gift certainly would produce some level of perceived happiness as promised. Diamonds are pretty and expensive; it can't be denied.
These advertisements are not spoon-feeding us complete lies, but they are clearly intended to manipulate. Every day, we sit prone for hours before television screens and passively absorb images and words intended to convince us that the purchase of certain products will satisfy something inside us, or in some way improve our lives. It might be different if these assertions were founded in some sort of rational thought. Personally, I find it difficult to justify how spending far too much money on an overpriced, unpractical vehicle or fashion accessory could provide any valid or spiritually sound sense of happiness.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the unselfish pleasure experienced by witnessing the appreciative excitement a well-chosen gift produces in its recipient. And I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with getting giddy when someone gives you a great gift either. As long as the reaction is true, there is no problem. The difficulty arises in determining for one's self exactly which reactions are in fact true reactions. We must learn to step back and question the nature of our desires in order to find out whether they originated from an ad we saw fifty times this week, or if they arose from honest, spontaneous emotion. Sifting through the overabundance of external information and influence to discover our true selves is the tricky part.
In our daily lives within this capitalist culture, we are exposed to advertisements at such a constant rate that I don't think I would even want to know a statistical estimate. In fact, I'm sure my brain has a stat stored away that it overheard somewhere, but did not allow access to my consciousness in a vain attempt to protect me from pain. Despite the obvious inundation of manipulative messages, how often do people actually take the time to contemplate what they are absorbing? Most are too afraid to consider the situation seriously.
A closer look at some of the ludicrous pitches is instantly offensive to anyone with even a slight sensitivity. The most shockingly offensive holiday commercials for me are those that casually encourage people to purchase absurdly luxurious items for their loved ones this holiday season.
Lexus, in a series of commercials depicting some alternate universe of infinite wealth and leisure, sets the standard for upper crust gift giving. We are shown just how happy and proud our husband or father will be when he sees his gigantic new SUV with the leather interior and CD player sitting in the driveway wrapped in a red bow. Who buys someone a car for Christmas? Especially a luxury car! Is Lexus targeting the elusive professional athlete demographic, or just trying to make the rest of us feel bad about ourselves? Even Shaq only bought each of his teammates a Rolex after winning the NBA title. He didn't give out a fleet of giant luxury vehicles to show his thanks.
Meanwhile, jewelry cartels and department stores conspire to counsel men that no gift pleases a wife more than a diamond necklace, ring, bracelet, or at least earrings. Grateful wives clad in silky lingerie imply exactly what gift men should expect in return for their expenditure. The price is not quite as lavish as the tag on a Yuletide Lex, but we're still talking about dropping five grand on a single gift. Of course, the wives see the ads too, so the gift certainly would produce some level of perceived happiness as promised. Diamonds are pretty and expensive; it can't be denied.
These advertisements are not spoon-feeding us complete lies, but they are clearly intended to manipulate. Every day, we sit prone for hours before television screens and passively absorb images and words intended to convince us that the purchase of certain products will satisfy something inside us, or in some way improve our lives. It might be different if these assertions were founded in some sort of rational thought. Personally, I find it difficult to justify how spending far too much money on an overpriced, unpractical vehicle or fashion accessory could provide any valid or spiritually sound sense of happiness.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the unselfish pleasure experienced by witnessing the appreciative excitement a well-chosen gift produces in its recipient. And I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with getting giddy when someone gives you a great gift either. As long as the reaction is true, there is no problem. The difficulty arises in determining for one's self exactly which reactions are in fact true reactions. We must learn to step back and question the nature of our desires in order to find out whether they originated from an ad we saw fifty times this week, or if they arose from honest, spontaneous emotion. Sifting through the overabundance of external information and influence to discover our true selves is the tricky part.
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Comments
I love everything about it...........
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
i'm glad i don't watch much tv, occasionally i flip around and some of the shows and commercials remind me why i don't watch....
what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?
"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama
when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
It's not even the money, although it is great to NOT drop tons of dough at the end of the year-- it's more a matter of convenience. None of us need anything, thankfully. None of us are big into shopping, especially at this time of year when people will (ironically) kill for a parking spot, or run you over bouncing from store to store-- maybe this only happens in NY
Looking forward to another stress-free, peaceful, Christmas!
I have a media marketing degree because I loved the psychology and business behind advertising. Now I can't stand what it does to people. It's really quite sick the intentional manipulation it plays and society that falls for it all.
Things do not equal happiness. Obligatory spending at Christmas is nothing but what society expects, even when most gifts are crap and things that no one even truly needs or wants.
Right on, Vinny! Convincing my family the same is extra difficult as they are a materialistic brood.
I would hate to have the outlook that you have...
The world is going to shit
The government sucks
My job sucks
I hate Christmas......
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
is christmas only about buying people cheap crap (most likely made in china) that they will hardly ever to very rarely (if ever) use? really?
better than the outlook you seem to have of 'meh, my life and small bubble is ok, fuck everyone else!!'
what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?
"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama
when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
Then that is your choice.....
Im glad I dont have your attitude either.......
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
Things don't make one truly happy Speedy. And I never said my job sucked.
I'd like to know how a gift of the Clapper or a Snuggie defines how one feels about another person.
Because you are too busy whining and complaining about everything.
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
Like you assume I own crap and live in a bubble....
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
well, no, that's not all i think it's about but that is the aspect being discussed here and you seemed to disagree
what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?
"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama
when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
Would you ever buy one of these for your parents??
Your children??
Your nieces/nephews???
Would you go out and buy one for grandma/grandpa???
Or would you maybe take a little time, and put some thought and effort, in to buying a loved one something they actually might cherish and enjoy???
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
I work at a christmas soup kitchen in the morning (7am til 2pm) on the day and then go home for dinner with my family, pop around and see friends. Get home at about 8pm and get drunk and listen to PJ, have more food. Thats a magical day and I love it. If someone has no where to go that day and wants to have dinner with me and my family then they are welcome, the more the better in my opinion. Some might be eating cheese and crackers but we have plenty of drink :-)
Anyways, christmas is a fantastic time and I love it!
So I guess holiday consumerism isn't a bad thing, as long as it's not the ONLY thing, IMO.
Wow...The only CHRISTMAS'S I remember is where YOUR trying to have an ENJOYABLE Day!...yet ALLLLL Day your getting...from Everyone is "When are you getting a Job?"...or "When are you Moving OUT?"...or "What are you doing with your LIFE?"...COMBINE that with the 'HYPOCRISY' of the Whole DAY!!!...
:? :?
http://www.apoplecticpress.org/Card%20Doubles%20Large/011.jpg
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
Maybe it is you people, who "hate" Christmas...
That are the ones who are shallow and misguided.....
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
wow...
If Christmas and the consumerism around it bother you so much, then don't participate.
The commercialism of it is a joke, but we all know that... no tv commercial is making me feel guilty for not buying my wife a car or diamond earings, I chuckle at the commercials and move on.
And while "it doesn't take a holiday to recognize the love of your family or friends or appreciate what you have in life" is absolutely true, but with people living in different cities and everyone's work/life schedules the holiday does give us a chance to get together and enjoy spending time as a family. If in your opinion spending time with our families and giving a nice gift or two make us "truly shallow and misguided", then I don't know what to tell you.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Have you seen the film "What would Jesus buy?"
Secondly, why not be "jolly" or "merry" any time of the year? Does anyone really need a specific calender date to be good or buy a present for a family member or similar? The fact is these things are predicated on the notion of Christmas but has absolutely nothing to do with the actual holiday other than what we've as humans added to it because it suited our own needs and wants. This is something you or anyone else has yet to acknowledge. It's tradition that we've completely made up which has zero to do with the meaning of the actual holiday. And in terms of the actual holiday and that belief system, Jesus was about helping the poor, equality and similar all the time - none of which we actually practice in our society. So let's mass celebrate his birth and apply our own misguided message of his ideologies for our own purposes when we don't actually practice what his message was and foresake it all? That's Christmas in our society.
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?
"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama
when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
i don't think Jeanwah was saying she felt she HAD to buy these things but was commenting on how it is pushed in our culture, you can't deny were an overly consumeristic society and this is what people are bombarded with. sure, you can say 'then don't watch tv!' but this is simply ignoring the problem.
what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?
"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama
when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
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