Excellent Doc on the constant bombardment of marketing and advertising that our children and even toddlers face today. As the film points out, many people argue that ultimately, it's parents that are solely responsible for their child's upbringing, but parents can't cope with this alone, they need help. We have a $15 billion industry that is working day and night to undermine parental authority and it's akin to a FedEx announcing that from now on, their trucks will be barreling down school zones @ 150 mph so parents better watch out, it's their responsibility.

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Good vids so far just got through part one. Cheers.

all those advertising problems could go away if some just shut the TV off.

at least a good half.

Then they go to a friends house and peer presure adds it weight. You could live in the bush without any mod cons, send your kids to school and its there too. Keep them sheltered home schooled with no knowledge of that and you would end up with a super human or another crazy because you are human to and still learning. Shame on the people whos trade it is to steal the minds of the young.

At first glance, I thought that this thread- Consuming Kids- was about canabalizing children. Damn. I was all ready with recipes to post. Where are ya, Slith???







Jokes aside. Good post. Jet has a point, T.V is BAD.!!! ( I think we all know that, but how many of us actually live by it?) Then there's peer pressure, how the hell do you get them away from that- (Unless you lock them in the basement until they're 21. ; > } Number one problem are the parents that allow it. Of course, how can you say no to little spock, or little low6, or little sockpuppet when it's "But Dad/Mom, EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ONE!!!!.?" That's a toughie, I'm sure. Any ideas on how to combat this, you guys?

We could just resort to harsher punishment- for the "give-me's."

wow, great post! Thanks for sharing.

That's just it. Even if the tv is off 99% of the time, in the city, my kid will still be subject to the conditioning at school, at their friends house, on the school trip, on the bus ride home, on every street corner, etc. The most saturated form of this conditioning is via other children, as you said, peer pressure. Every bit of parenting that I practice while my child is with me, will be undermined in the short time that he/she is not with me. And if I want to ensure that he/she is exposed to the right environment, one that upholds my set of values, I have to pay big bucks via private schools and community centers.

Anyway, I often hear "well we turned out fine and we were just as exposed", but even a peek outside your car window will show you how VERY different it is today. And I was raised through the 80s/90s which were relatively tame in terms of consumerism (compared with today).

I tend to think that girls have it waaay worse than boys. I have a 3 month old boy now, but I am dreading the days when I'll have to steer a little girl clear of all the empty, superficial, selfish and promiscuous ideals that consumer culture will do it's best to instill in her. It makes me think twice when I check out a hot 18yr. old in her skimpy shorts. What chance does she have at youthful innocence and a strong sense of self-worth?

I'm finding it more hard as I grow older not to judge. When I meet someone in marketing or advertising or pharmaceutical sales all I wanna do is lay on the verbal assault. But I realize that their just as much victims of conditioning. Sometimes I think, maybe if I help them realize how they 'hurt' culture, they'll look for a career in something more rewarding and ethical. Big maybe.

This outtake from "The Corporation" shows an interview with Lucy Hughes, explaining the rationale for marketers to manipulate children to nag their parents to influence purchasing decisions.

Man up...just say NO! Consumerism abounds and it is a forced tirade by corporations to bring everyone into virtual tantrums over not having the latest gear, fad or trivial widget produced. Seriously, parents need to be tougher on their kids by means of educating the kid to "Capitalism" and the subculture of "gotta have it."
Adults must exercise some control over the television...this helps somewhat but the kid must interact with society at large and only the parent can provide the proper "social nourishment" that a child needs to cope! Because if left unchecked the kid turns to the "getmethat culture."