Baudrillard definitely knows what he's looking at. I nodded with agreement at the concept that we are driven by advertisement to feel independent and free, to be totally different and unique... by buying what everyone else is buying.
It's maddening, but not unexpected. Everything in nature advertises--an insect is brightly colored to attract females, a lizard has a frill to become larger and more frightening--the only creatures that don't are those whose physiology has evolved solely to help them hide. We as humans are merely more aware of that visual manipulation, and direct it intentionally toward the mind.
I also really got a lot out of Baudrillard's pointing out a simple fact: that we believe that we are ethically correct in making ourselves feel good. Advertisers are gleefully cognizant of this... and redirect this urge to state that buying possessions == feeling good.
Very Marxist when one considers it.
No comments:
Post a Comment