Beware! Commercials Ahead

            For the last several years I have had the habit of pulling some MLK, Jr. off my bookshelf to revisit his writings on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This probably would have been yesterday’s post had I read some before thinking about wisdom, but I never got around to perusing King’s sagacious words until later in the afternoon. Yesterday’s selection was from a collection of his famous sermons, Strength to Love, which is excellent if you’ve never read it.

            One of my favorite essays in the book also happens to be the first, “Tough Minded and Tender Hearted.” He speaks to the necessity of engaging in deliberate thinking, something we are trying to do with our little experiment on “What’s Up, Soc?” Here’s a short sample:

Let us consider, first, the need for a tough mind, characterized by incisive thinking, realistic appraisal, and decisive judgment. The tough mind is sharp and penetrating, breaking through the crust of legends and myths and sifting the true from the false. The tough-minded individual is astute and discerning. He has a strong, austere quality that makes for firmness of purpose and solidness of commitment.

Who doubts that this toughness of mind is one of man’s greatest needs? 

Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

This prevalent tendency toward soft mindedness is found in man’s unbelievable gullibility. 

Take our attitude toward advertisement. We are so easily led to purchase a product because a television or radio advertisement pronounces it better than any other. Advertisers have long since learned that most people are soft-minded, and they capitalize on this susceptibility with skillful and effective slogans.

             This got me thinking about commercials on television. I am notorious for being critical about the “real” message lurking behind the overt advertisement for a particular product. The reason we should all be so critical of these types of (or all, really) ads has to do with what they are subtly conveying about our culture of conspicuous consumption. Take these AT&T commercials for instance:

            Overwhelmingly these commercials always tout the virtue of “more,” “bigger,” “faster,” et cetera. Is this always the case? Should these goals be the endgame of consumption? Are they even virtues at all? Why do we prize such values blindly? Can you think of ways in which more, bigger, or faster is not better? Try to watch more commercials in this way and think about aspects of life you might not otherwise deliberate over.

P.S. - Tomorrow I should be back in the courtyard at school. More posts themed on actual dialogue with students coming up!