A clumsy ruse, not sleek nor clever // Undermining trust, perhaps forever
Nine Ninety-Nine #
Did anyone explore the negative aspect advertising had on society by normalizing persuasion at the expense of the objective truth? #
The critical examination of the negative impacts of advertising on society, particularly regarding the normalization of persuasion at the expense of objective truth, is a rich and multi-faceted area of study, intersecting fields like sociology, media studies, psychology, and ethics. This critical lens has been applied by various scholars, theorists, and critics over time.
Cultural and Sociological Perspectives: The Frankfurt School, particularly theorists like Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, critiqued the culture industry for promoting a form of mass deception. Their argument, rooted in critical theory, posited that mass-produced culture, including advertising, manipulates the masses and undermines individual critical thinking. This perspective highlights how advertising can contribute to a superficial understanding of products and ideas, overshadowing objective truth with appealing narratives.
Psychological Manipulation: Vance Packard’s seminal work “The Hidden Persuaders” (1957) delved into the psychological techniques used in advertising and sales, unveiling how these practices manipulate consumers, often subconsciously. His work raised ethical concerns about the impact of these techniques on consumer autonomy and the distortion of truth in favor of persuasive narratives.
Postmodern Critiques: Postmodern theorists, such as Jean Baudrillard, have discussed the concept of hyperreality, where the distinction between reality and the simulated reality created by media, including advertising, becomes blurred. In this context, advertising doesn’t just sell products but constructs a reality where the symbolic value of products (what they represent) becomes more significant than their functional value (what they objectively are).
Ethics and Philosophy: Philosophers have also interrogated the ethical implications of advertising’s persuasion techniques. Deontological perspectives, which focus on the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions, may critique advertising practices that prioritize persuasion over truth as inherently unethical. Consequentialist views might analyze the broader societal impacts of these practices, such as the perpetuation of consumerism or the undermining of informed decision-making.
Political Economy of Media: Scholars like Robert McChesney and Noam Chomsky have explored how media and advertising industries, driven by corporate interests, can lead to a commodification of culture and information. This commodification can prioritize persuasive narratives that serve specific economic interests over objective, unbiased information.
Impact on Children and Vulnerable Populations: Research in this area often focuses on how advertising targets vulnerable populations, such as children, who may be less capable of critically evaluating persuasive messages. This raises concerns about the ethical implications of normalizing persuasion techniques on impressionable audiences.
These perspectives collectively underscore that advertising’s role in society is not merely commercial but deeply entwined with cultural, psychological, ethical, and social dynamics. The normalization of persuasion at the expense of objective truth in advertising reflects broader societal shifts towards a media-saturated environment where discerning objective truth becomes increasingly complex.
Please write a poem from the perspective of an individual begging the advertiser to remove point-99 from their pricing as we all know what the reality is and, besides, point-99 looks larger than point-00, so even the persuasion goes through the window as a rationale, leaving us with only naive, but blatant disrespect. #
In a marketplace where digits dance and sway,
An earnest plea to the advertiser’s bay:
Cast aside this trick of .99,
A charade thin as the weakest twine.
For we all know the truth, so clear, so bright,
That .99 feigns less, but not quite right.
It’s a sly whisper, a mere illusion,
Crafted for confusion, not conclusion.
“Oh, gentle merchant, hear this request,
For in your pricing, let truth manifest.
Drop this façade, this needless jest,
For in plainness, honesty rests best.
The .99, it looms, a towering figure,
In the mind’s eye, oddly bigger.
A clumsy ruse, not sleek nor clever,
Undermining trust, perhaps forever.
It’s not just persuasion that slips away,
But respect too starts to fray.
In this game of pennies and dimes,
We seek sincerity in our times.
Let .00 be our new herald’s call,
A sign of candor, respected by all.
In this simple change, a trust renewed,
A bond with consumers, honestly construed.
For what are we, if not but true,
In our dealings, our worldviews?
Let .99 be a relic of the past,
And .00 bring forth trust that lasts.”
So begs the soul, yearning for simplicity,
In a world muddled with complexity.
A call for truth in every transaction,
Yearning for integrity, not just mere attraction.