Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970106090244.27487I-100000@fox.ksu.ksu.edu> Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 09:17:25 -0600 From: kerry miller <mailto:astingsh@KSU.EDU> Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: pushing development-] To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
B, > Prevent it? American corporations spend billions of dollars a year in advertising
> trying to brainwash everyone into being a good little consumer.
Do you know any study that has used the 'tragedy of the commons' concept to analyse the effectiveness of advertising? The usual rationale seems to be a) if no-one else is advertising, one gains from the novelty, and b) if everyone else is advertising, one has to keep up to avoid losing. This sounds like a clear Hardin scenario to me.
In any case, isn't it clear that the essence of Western lifestyle is that we *like* that fresh, tingly feeling of being brainwashed (and set)? I expect we could all have 19.5 ft cars if the PR budgets could be all diverted to globally-relevant causes. (Do you suppose the FDA could rule on the addictiveness of greed?)
Cheers, kerry