TV...The Promoter of Materialism

musicismylife78

its more than that its a promotor of capitalism, which is far worse.

Turn on MTV's My Super Sweet 16th Birthday. Thats capitalism at its best.

The game show/reality show craze also promotes capitalism. I mean after all, who can complain about our system, our way of life, when anyone anywhere can win 1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, or win thousands on Jeopardy, or Wheel of Fortune. Its all there to reinforce our way of life and to make us not question the way things are going.

Plus, it gets our minds off the real stuff going on. Instead of focusing on Iraq or violence, or any number of other pressing issues, we all can talk about the latest episode of Lost or what happened on Survivor last night.

TV is gross but its the whole culture that is wrong.

I agree with the chili peppers: throw away your television

hippiemom

Cheguevara6 wrote:

I agree with the chili peppers: throw away your television

I'd agree, except for one thing .... how would I watch my Pearl Jam DVDs?!!?!

ThumbingMyWay32

Cheguevara6 wrote:

I agree with the chili peppers: throw away your television

Can we throw away their albums instead?

lol I was banned for calling you a dumbass. So I guess you aren't a dumbass anymore? Maybe in my mind, but how would Kat know unless she's in my mind? Yeeeah... That's right. I'm going to have to get a little creative now.

norm

Cheguevara6 wrote:

Turn on MTV's My Super Sweet 16th Birthday. Thats capitalism at its best.

After watching this show if you don't think kids are influenced by what they see from the media well, I like to move to your fantasy world. :rolleyes:

miller8966

hippiemom wrote:

To be honest, I don't see ads often enough to give you any examples. The last time I saw television ads was when I was putting up Christmas decorations and my husband had a football game on. I don't remember a single thing about the ads, but I do remember after several of them asking my husband "How can you stand to listen to this shit? They're talking to people like they're idiots." Advertising seems to be targeted at a pretty low intelligence level. It gives me a headache.

I

Im not trying to start an argument because i see where your coming from, but shouldnt commercials be in laymans terms?

Jeanwah

miller8966 wrote:

Im not trying to start an argument because i see where your coming from, but shouldnt commercials be in laymans terms?

Try reading something like this, and then you'll understand. Advertisers prey on the young and easily influenced, ie children. They don't know enough not to believe everything they see.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068487055X/ref=pd_sim_b_5/103-5648826-4565468?ie=UTF8

miller8966

Jeanwah wrote:

Try reading something like this, and then you'll understand. Advertisers prey on the young and easily influenced, ie children. They don't know enough not to believe everything they see.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068487055X/ref=pd_sim_b_5/103-5648826-4565468?ie=UTF8

Who cares? its called capitalism. I see nothing wrong with advertising an xbox to your kids or trying to persuade a man to buy a new lawnmower.

hippiemom

Jeanwah wrote:

Try reading something like this, and then you'll understand. Advertisers prey on the young and easily influenced, ie children. They don't know enough not to believe everything they see.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068487055X/ref=pd_sim_b_5/103-5648826-4565468?ie=UTF8

That's a very good book.

I've never watched a lot of television, and didn't even own one when my first daughter was young. She's never been interested in it, and she and her husband only watch DVDs on theirs.

My youngest was another story. She watched a couple of PBS shows from time to time, but my husband watches a lot of tv and it's amazing what kids pick up just from being in the room where it's on, even if they're not paying attention. My wake-up call came when she was three years old. I mentioned that I had a headache and she told me "Take some Advil! It's advanced medicine for pain!" I just about fell out of my chair, and we had rules regarding television after that.

Collin

know1 wrote:

People can have tons of stuff without thinking it is the most important thing in life.

Yes, I know, what's your point?

sponger

I think there's a fine line between materialism and an appreciation for finer things.

And when assessing which side of this line a person is on, I use the cigar analogy. If you walk into a cigar bar, you'll find two kinds of cigar smokers: there are smokers who leave the labels on their cigars and those who remove them.

The smokers who leave the labels on their cigars are the materialistic tobacco enthusiasts. They just spent a wad of money on fine tobacco and they want people to know it.

But, then the question arises: What if the person just didn't feel like removing the label? Is there a practical reason for removing it?

Cigar labels have a tendency to slide up and down the cigar. This causes two problems: When the label slides into the gripping area of the cigar, its slick surface and loose fitting can cause gripping problems. When the label slides in the other direction, it can end up in the smoker's mouth. The cigar smoking experience is just easier and more enjoyable if the label is removed prior to lighting up. Also, if the smoker is someone who enjoys smoking the cigar down to the nub, it's better to remove the label so as not to smoke it along with the tobacco.

The exception is the person who hasn't yet experienced the inconveniences associated with cigar labels, and who probably thinks removing the label carries the same consequences as removing the tag from a mattress.

Then there's guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger who spend $20,000 for a box of Cuban Dunhills. That's just excessive. I don' think it's possible to taste $800 (25/box) in a stick of tobacco.

know1

Collin wrote:

Yes, I know, what's your point?

My point is - if that is the definition - how many people do you know of where possessions truly are THE MOST important thing in their lives.

Just because people have tons of junk (like all of us on this board) does not make materialistic by that definition.

Collin

know1 wrote:

My point is - if that is the definition - how many people do you know of where possessions truly are THE MOST important thing in their lives.

Just because people have tons of junk (like all of us on this board) does not make materialistic by that definition.

Yes, I know very little people who consider their possessions the most important thing.

Anyway, I like the other two definitions more than the cambridge one because I doubt the are many people who consider their possessions more important than their family, for example.

I think materialist are the people who cannot imagine a life without all the luxuries. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having these things as you as you realize they are just things and your happiness doesn't depend on them.

So this is where I disagreed with that post that said we all partake in materialism because we have computers. I don't think that's true unless you truly believe that being not materialistic is not having anything like a computer, car or radio. You can have all these things and not be a materialist, in my opinion. To me, it's all about how much you value those things.

know1

Collin wrote:

Yes, I know very little people who consider their possessions the most important thing.

Anyway, I like the other two definitions more than the cambridge one because I doubt the are many people who consider their possessions more important than their family, for example.

I think materialist are the people who cannot imagine a life without all the luxuries. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having these things as you as you realize they are just things and your happiness doesn't depend on them.

So this is where I disagreed with that post that said we all partake in materialism because we have computers. I don't think that's true unless you truly believe that being not materialistic is not having anything like a computer, car or radio. You can have all these things and not be a materialist, in my opinion. To me, it's all about how much you value those things.

But the vast majority of the people in the world do not have the luxuries all of us do, so I would think that they view all of us as very materialistic.

Collin

know1 wrote:

But the vast majority of the people in the world do not have the luxuries all of us do, so I would think that they view all of us as very materialistic.

That's true. I guess you're right, it's all very relative. All I know is I could live without a lot of the things I have. I still live with my parents but when I move out I probably won't buy a all these new gadgets, I think it's a waste of money. But hey, as long as I live with my parents I might as well enjoy the luxuries they buy.

I can't wait until I move out and get my own place. It's weird I see young people getting bigger and bigger loans so they can afford a house, a car, new furniture, tv's ... People can't wait for anything, my parents always tell me when they built their house, they lived in one room for 6 months, didn't have hot water, no tv, not much furniture, they just read books, played games, talked... That's what I long for...

miller8966

Collin wrote:

That's true. I guess you're right, it's all very relative. All I know is I could live without a lot of the things I have. I still live with my parents but when I move out I probably won't buy a all these new gadgets, I think it's a waste of money. But hey, as long as I live with my parents I might as well enjoy the luxuries they buy.

I can't wait until I move out and get my own place. It's weird I see young people getting bigger and bigger loans so they can afford a house, a car, new furniture, tv's ... People can't wait for anything, my parents always tell me when they built their house, they lived in one room for 6 months, didn't have hot water, no tv, not much furniture, they just read books, played games, talked... That's what I long for...

You have fun with that. Ill take the running water and electricity.

Rats of Multa

Jeanwah wrote:

I wouldn't say it's just tv--it's all media that's promoting materialism. It's society here in the U.S. Keeping up with the Jones' has everything to do with materials, and not what really being happy is all about.

As far as religious beliefs, well, it depends on one's resilience, thinking for one's self, and not being easily influenced by society.

Pearl Jam is "media"--err,.. a medium.

i think i agree w/ you though: religion is how one lives,.. rather than how one appears.

sponger

Materialism = status
Status = filling holes in our sense of self-worth
filling holes in our sense of self-worth = mommy and daddy didn't approve of me
mommy and daddy didn't approve of me = jesus loves me
jesus loves me = religion
religion = grandiose churches and wearing your "best outfit" on sunday
grandiose churches and wearing your "best outfit" on sunday = gaining approval from others
gaining approval from others = status
status = materialism

"My friends all drive porsches. I must make amends" - Janis Joplin

Collin

miller8966 wrote:

You have fun with that. Ill take the running water and electricity.

Yeah, I might want running water and electricity too, wouldn't want anyone calling me a dirty hippie:)

know1

Collin wrote:

That's true. I guess you're right, it's all very relative. All I know is I could live without a lot of the things I have. I still live with my parents but when I move out I probably won't buy a all these new gadgets, I think it's a waste of money. But hey, as long as I live with my parents I might as well enjoy the luxuries they buy.

I can't wait until I move out and get my own place. It's weird I see young people getting bigger and bigger loans so they can afford a house, a car, new furniture, tv's ... People can't wait for anything, my parents always tell me when they built their house, they lived in one room for 6 months, didn't have hot water, no tv, not much furniture, they just read books, played games, talked... That's what I long for...

Good for you. I really agree with that second paragraph. I'm debt free myself..except for my house which I have a lot of equity in. I have no student loan, no credit card debt, and a vehicle with over 100K miles that I own completely. Basically, if I can't pay for it in cash, I don't buy it.

know1

sponger wrote:

Materialism = status
Status = filling holes in our sense of self-worth
filling holes in our sense of self-worth = mommy and daddy didn't approve of me
mommy and daddy didn't approve of me = jesus loves me
jesus loves me = religion
religion = grandiose churches and wearing your "best outfit" on sunday
grandiose churches and wearing your "best outfit" on sunday = gaining approval from others
gaining approval from others = status
status = materialism

"My friends all drive porsches. I must make amends" - Janis Joplin

You sure have a closed mind about churches. There are plenty where people do not dress up and the buildings are very plain.