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My liberal hippy professor parents used to feed me this crap. And I don't mean the Cheerios. They used to "teach" me all about those giant evil corporations when I was a kid. Then I grew to realize it was just blame and indoctrination and I resented it.
But I do love my Cheerios!
They likely grew up in the era of Raw Capitalism which was pretty evil. The current environment of regulated capitalism (in a number of ways) isn't perfect but no system is. The alternative options have proven to be even worse.
It's all about balancing incentives with social responsibility and stability.
It's amazing how anti-business people can be that work in the public sector because they don't make "profits"....and are often immune to many of the economic downturns. When they start laying off a bunch of these people because the tax base is hurting then they might start to get a clue.
Then again, most Americans are financially and economically uneducated idiots that scream bloody murder when they have to pay $3 for a gallon of gas and that the oil company *gasp* made 25cents profit on the deal....while $1.50 of that amount went to the government.
However, here in the US of Blame it's not OUR fault that we feed our kids piles of crap and let them play xbox all day instead of getting out and exercising....
Parents only have so much control over what their kids do, although the parent can control the sorts of foods in their household they can't necessary control what the kid eats outside of home. Furthermore, the advertising is geared towards both the kids and parents, its intended that the kids will bug the parents to buy the product.
You're just expressing the other extreme, namely the fantasy that parents have supreme control over their kids. They don't as a result society has to be careful when marketing to children.
When my kids see ads (or telemarketers call), we talk about what the company is trying to sell, what traits/needs they are trying to appeal to, and how the company is trying to get our money. We do this without vilifying or blaming the corporation.
Spoken from an Ivory tower. What happens when the parents don't understand advertising well, what if the parents don't understand nutrition well? etc.
Parents only have so much control over what their kids do, although the parent can control the sorts of foods in their household they can't necessary control what the kid eats outside of home. Furthermore, the advertising is geared towards both the kids and parents, its intended that the kids will bug the parents to buy the product.
You're just expressing the other extreme, namely the fantasy that parents have supreme control over their kids. They don't as a result society has to be careful when marketing to children.
Slippery slope there.
I'm sure we all agree that harmful products like cigarettes shouldnt target kids etc etc. However, some occasional junk food isn't a bad thing so do you ban McDonalds adds because some parents let their kids eat there 10x a week?
Do you ban adds about the upcoming Justin Beiber movie because it targets kids? Or do you deem that it's not harmful or is harmful based upon subjective criteria?
Do we just ban all fastfood like they tried to do in Berkley or other parts of CA?
I guess I just want to have the freedom to make my own decisions and just because some morons are too stupid or lazy to make good decisions with thier lives I'd prefer to keep my own options intact.
What happens when the parents don't understand advertising well, what if the parents don't understand nutrition well? etc.
We should take their kids away, make them all wards of the state and plan their meals for them along with mandatory exercise and study times. Then we can protect them from the advertisers and other evil capitalist forces that they are unprepared to deal with.
It's for their own good. They also shouldn't be voting, or really even having kids since they are dumb but that's all something that can be fixed.
hey, this whole thing was intended to be lighthearted and maybe poke a little bit of fun at the extremes of consumersim AND anti-consumerism.
And yes, it really did happen.
So, just to make everything clear, I am NOT a foolish corporate slave for allowing the book into my home (I don't even know where it came from, as we've acquired a literal library of at least a thousand books over the years for both kids and adults), nor am I a "liberal hippy" (they'd never let me in; I own way too many guns and stuffed animal heads ) for pointing out how absurd it is to teach a 3 year old to count with such a blatant piece of corporate advertising obviously aimed at the VERY young.
I'm sure we all agree that harmful products like cigarettes shouldnt target kids etc etc. However, some occasional junk food isn't a bad thing so do you ban McDonalds adds because some parents let their kids eat there 10x a week?
There is no slippery slope here. Just as you can ban cigarette aids that target non-adults without banning the product or limiting the freedoms of adults, you can ban food advertising directed at kids without banning the products or limiting the freedom of adults. This country has a serious obesity problem, and it is primary the junk food purchasers that are advertising towards children. Children see commercials of junk food daily, yet never see healthy foods. Not too many Carrot, Lettuce, etc commercials...
Expecting kids to make rational choices before their brains have even fully developed doesn't make that much sense.
hey, this whole thing was intended to be lighthearted and maybe poke a little bit of fun at the extremes of consumersim AND anti-consumerism.
And yes, it really did happen.
So, just to make everything clear, I am NOT a foolish corporate slave for allowing the book into my home (I don't even know where it came from, as we've acquired a literal library of at least a thousand books over the years for both kids and adults), nor am I a "liberal hippy" (they'd never let me in; I own way too many guns and stuffed animal heads ) for pointing out how absurd it is to teach a 3 year old to count with such a blatant piece of corporate advertising obviously aimed at the VERY young.
Anyways... Lighten up people... sheesh!
My daughter recently reminded me of the anti- "Little Mermaid" speech I once gave her as a young woman (aka female child): "We do not ever, ever change ourselves for a MAN, we are fine just the way we are! "
At the tender age of 5 did she even know what the 'ell I was blathering on about???
Apparently, it worked! She loves science and is pursing that as a career, male-fish be dammed! Surely, it was that ONE speech, right? Ha!
There is no slippery slope here. Just as you can ban cigarette aids that target non-adults without banning the product or limiting the freedoms of adults, you can ban food advertising directed at kids without banning the products or limiting the freedom of adults. This country has a serious obesity problem, and it is primary the junk food purchasers that are advertising towards children. Children see commercials of junk food daily, yet never see healthy foods. Not too many Carrot, Lettuce, etc commercials...
Expecting kids to make rational choices before their brains have even fully developed doesn't make that much sense.
I agree with you to a certain extent. I think some of my points in earlier posts still stand however.
The obesity issue IMO is tied to the lack of exercise as much as anything.
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) for pointing out how absurd it is to teach a 3 year old to count with such a blatant piece of corporate advertising obviously aimed at the VERY young. 
