How has the prevalence of modern propaganda affected consumerism
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When_Beauty_is_the_Beast.pdf
- Date: 2024-12-03
- Pg. 3-4
- Women are constantly made to feel that they need to look like the hypersexualized supermodels (propaganda) which causes them to buy makeup and other beauty products
- “Because this ideal is portrayed in so many
forms of media, many women accept it as their own ideals and internalize the disappointment they feel with their own body because of it” ~ pg 6
“Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident they are acting on their own free will.” — Joseph Goebbels
“The American people are free to do exactly what they are told.” — Ward Churchill
TO look at
Nice phrases
TV, the internet and social media are filled with ads dictating to us what to buy, what to eat, and what to think about. Advertising also increases a sense of anxiety. Fear of being excluded from groups if we don’t follow the latest trends. But mostly ads promise us well-being, happiness, and prosperity once we buy what they offer.
Cliché phrases and slogans promote consumerism, an excessive and uncontrolled habit of constantly buying goods. People become so attached to products that they can spend long hours shopping for products that they may not truly need. But they buy them to satisfy their ambition created by advertising.
Consumerism is associated with the idea of stimulating people to purchase more. And it does not matter whether it’s the 5th or 10th pair of shoes in someone’s wardrobe. Advertising makes us think that certain products can have added value, helping us to present ourselves in a new way to look different from others. But does this mean that if I wear Nike shoes, it improves my status?
Consumerism negatively impacts the environment. Brands produce more, overexploit natural resources and generate excessive waste. The race of manufacturers to supply obsessive consumers is accelerating climate change.
Another criticism of consumerism is based on the use of false information in advertising to increase sales. Consumers may not know exactly what ingredients are used to make their favorite products because brands hide the information.
McDonald’s had been misleading consumers for decades by claiming that their fries contained less fat, but then it was revealed that McDonald’s used beef fat to make fries.
Survey questions
- Do you ever feel that your choices when purchasing items or