How You Are Manipulated To Mindlessly Consume
Summary
TLDRThe script delves into the paradox of consumerism in America, where despite financial struggles, spending on non-essentials persists. It traces the historical roots of consumerism, from sumptuary laws to the consumer revolution, and critiques the manipulation of desires for economic gains. The narrative questions the impact of relentless advertising, planned obsolescence, and the shift from needs to desires, highlighting the societal and personal costs of a consumer-driven culture.
Takeaways
- π° About 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, highlighting the financial fragility of a large portion of the population.
- ποΈ Despite financial instability, Americans spend over $300 a month on impulse purchases and about $118,000 a year on non-essential goods.
- π Historically, sumptuary laws were enforced in the 16th century to curb desires for luxury and extravagance, reflecting early attempts to control consumerism.
- π The shift from punishing material pursuits to celebrating them as symbols of respectability occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries as economies flourished.
- π Bernard Mandeville's 'Fable of the Bees' (1714) argued that individual vices like greed and vanity contribute to national prosperity, influencing societal views on consumerism.
- π Adam Smith, in 'The Wealth of Nations', suggested that while consumption is necessary for societal benefit, excessive pursuit of trivial items can lead to ruin.
- π« The American education system, influenced by Prussian models, aimed to instill obedience and a desire to consume, shaping the engineered consumer mindset.
- π The 2008 recession demonstrated the risks of overleveraged consumerism, with Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy being a prime example.
- π Planned obsolescence, introduced by Alfred P. Sloan of General Motors, ensured a continuous cycle of consumption by making products outdated or useless over time.
- π The manipulation of consumer desires through advertising and propaganda has been a key strategy for maintaining demand and profitability in the business world.
- β€οΈ The script emphasizes the importance of self-love and community support over material consumption, suggesting a shift in values as a way to combat societal issues.
Q & A
What percentage of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck according to Forbes?
-According to Forbes, roughly 78% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.
Why do over half of American workers fear losing their job more than death?
-Over half of American workers fear losing their job more than death due to the financial insecurity and the fact that they are living paycheck to paycheck, which makes job loss a significant threat to their livelihood.
How much do Americans spend on impulse purchases monthly?
-Americans spend over $300 a month on impulse purchases alone.
What was the purpose of sumptuary laws in the early 16th century European states and their American colonies?
-Sumptuary laws were enforced to curb the desire for luxury and extravagance, and to maintain social order by controlling the consumption of non-essential goods.
What did Bernard Mandeville famously state in his 1714 work 'The Fable of the Bees'?
-Bernard Mandeville famously stated in 'The Fable of the Bees' that private vices are public benefits, meaning that individual self-seeking ambition, greed, vanity, and luxury contribute to the prosperity and greatness of a nation.
What did Adam Smith argue in 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' regarding the relationship between consumption and happiness?
-In 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments', Adam Smith argued that while consumption is necessary, it alone cannot ensure happiness. He stated that happiness consists of tranquility and enjoyment, which cannot exist without a certain level of personal ease and security.
How did Alfred P. Sloan's strategy of planned obsolescence impact consumer behavior?
-Alfred P. Sloan's strategy of planned obsolescence impacted consumer behavior by deliberately making products become outdated or useless within a known time period, thus ensuring that consumers would seek replacements and bolstering demand for new products.
What is the significance of the term 'engineered consumer mindset' in the context of the American education system?
-The term 'engineered consumer mindset' refers to the idea that the American education system was designed to instill in individuals a desire to consume and an obedience to work, replacing free will with consumerist tendencies.
What role did Edward Bernays play in shaping public opinion and consumer behavior?
-Edward Bernays, known as the father of propaganda, played a significant role in shaping public opinion and consumer behavior by advocating for the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses through advertising and propaganda.
How has the increase in the number of TVs and the introduction of social media impacted consumerism in the US?
-The increase in the number of TVs and the introduction of social media have significantly impacted consumerism in the US by increasing exposure to advertisements and making it easier for consumers to be influenced by marketing strategies, leading to higher levels of impulse buying and debt.
What is the paradox that the speaker identifies regarding the robust economy and the financial struggles of the average American?
-The paradox identified by the speaker is that while the economy appears robust, the average American is struggling financially due to stagnant wages, increasing costs of living, and a lack of financial education, which leads to a cycle of dependency and consumerism.
Outlines
πΈ The Paradox of Consumerism in America
This paragraph delves into the irony of American consumerism, where despite living paycheck to paycheck, Americans spend significantly on non-essentials. It traces the historical roots of consumerism back to sumptuary laws in 16th-century Europe, which were designed to curb luxury. The script discusses the evolution of these attitudes through the consumer revolution, where items once considered luxuries became common, and the societal shift from punishing material pursuits to viewing them as symbols of respectability. It highlights the philosophical debates on the moral implications of consumerism, referencing Bernard Mandeville, Adam Smith, and the idea that individual desires for material goods inadvertently contribute to national prosperity. The paragraph concludes by questioning the modern reality of consumerism, where it has led to massive debt and a lack of financial security, despite its economic benefits.
π« The Education System's Role in Consumerism
The second paragraph examines the role of the education system in fostering a consumerist mindset. It discusses the Prussian education model, which aimed to eliminate free will and obedience, and its adoption in the United States with the influence of John D. Rockefeller. The script outlines the transformation of American education from nurturing free thinkers to creating compliant consumers and workers. It also touches on the influence of figures like Simon Patton, who advocated for a morality of consumption, and the concept of 'planned obsolescence' introduced by Alfred P. Sloan of General Motors, which aimed to make products outdated to drive continuous demand. The paragraph concludes with the impact of advertising and propaganda on shaping consumer desires and the societal shift towards a culture of desires over needs.
π The Manipulation of Consumer Desires and Economic Dependency
This paragraph explores the manipulation of consumer desires and the creation of economic dependency through advertising and social engineering. It discusses the efforts of the National Association of Manufacturers to equate consumerism with the American way of life during the Depression, and how advertisers and marketers worked to maintain consumer demand. The script highlights the strategies used by businesses to create a sense of necessity around their products, such as the introduction of new and innovative products, and the psychological impact of advertising on consumers' willingness to pay more for branded goods. It also touches on the role of media, including television and social media, in shaping consumer behavior and the societal pressure to conform to materialistic ideals.
π The Illusion of Consumer Happiness and the Need for Change
The final paragraph challenges the illusion of consumer happiness and the societal constructs that perpetuate it. It discusses the disconnect between the economy's performance and the well-being of the average American, highlighting the stagnation of wages, the rise in living costs, and the lack of financial education. The script calls for a shift in focus from material consumption to personal well-being and community support, emphasizing the importance of self-love and neighborly care as the foundation for a more fulfilling society. It concludes with a call to action for individuals to break free from the consumerist cycle and to contribute to societal change by prioritizing health, well-being, and virtuous endeavors.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Consumerism
π‘Sumptuary Laws
π‘Materialism
π‘Consumer Revolution
π‘Adam Smith
π‘Planned Obsolescence
π‘Credit Card Debt
π‘Education System
π‘Propaganda
π‘Retal Therapy
π‘Social Media Influence
Highlights
Approximately 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, with over half fearing job loss more than death.
Americans spend over $300 a month on impulse purchases and $118,000 a year on non-essential goods.
Sumptuary laws in the 16th century Europe attempted to curb desires for luxury and extravagance.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, luxury items became common goods, symbolizing respectability.
Dutch philosopher Bernard Mandeville argued that individual vices contribute to national prosperity in 'The Fable of the Bees'.
Adam Smith, in 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments', argued that consumption alone cannot ensure happiness.
Smith also warned against excessive pursuit of trivial items in 'The Wealth of Nations'.
Americans hold over $1.1 trillion in credit card debt, the highest ever recorded.
49% of Americans can't afford a $1,000 emergency expense, and over 61% of American youth feel chronically lonely.
The origins of the American education system were influenced by Prussian military defeat and the idea of destroying free will.
John D. Rockefeller's educational investments aimed to create a consumer mindset and obedience to work.
Simon Patton encouraged students to spend beyond their means as a sign of moral development.
Alfred P. Sloan introduced planned obsolescence to ensure continuous consumer demand.
Paul Mazur of Lehman Brothers advocated shifting America from a needs to desires culture.
The 2008 recession highlighted the dangers of overleveraged subprime mortgages and high-yield securities.
Herbert Hoover's speech to advertisers emphasized creating desire and transforming people into happiness machines.
National Association of Manufacturers launched ad campaigns equating consumerism with the American way.
Median wage has increased by only 18 cents in the last 50 years, while the cost of living has skyrocketed.
The speaker calls for a shift in focus from material goods to personal well-being and helping others.
Transcripts
according to Forbes roughly 78% of
Americans are living paycheck to
paycheck causing over half of us workers
to fear losing their job more than death
itself yet Americans still spend over
$300 a month on impulse purchases alone
spending roughly $118,000 a year on
non-essential Goods raising the concern
how did consumerism become our way of
living while the United States has
experienced unprecedented periods of
consumerism this concept of a Relentless
Pursuit towards material Goods is not
unique to the US and is rather the
byproduct of centuries worth of debates
between the financial and moral
implications of a society driven by
excessive consumption in the early 16th
century European states and their
American colonies enforc sumptuary laws
to curb the desire of luxury and
extravagance the ventian senate in 1512
limited wedding gifts to just six forks
and six spoons Banning guilded chest and
mirrors altogether in States now
occupied by Germany women were even
fined or thrown in jail for elegant
items such as a cotton neckerchief these
laws were seen as a veil for moral
decadence as individuals burdened with
poverty could still maintain their
virtue and a society in Endless pursuit
of material items would ultimately
invoke the sin of vanity by the 17th and
18th century as economies began to
flourish what were once luxury items
were now considered common goods and
instead of punishing material Pursuits
it now symbolized respectability
societal Elites now flaunted jeweled
covered tobacco boxes in Practical wigs
and Theatrical dresses but for most the
greatest luxury was a life no longer
centered on survival and as a Restraint
of Desire was lifted life was now
centered on a greater pleasure of
material Comfort marking this period as
the consumer Revolution Dutch
philosopher and Economist Bernard
mandaville described the new cultural
Acceptance in a 1714 work the Fable of
the bees famously stating private vices
are public benefits that individual
self-seeking ambition greed vanity and
luxury are indispensable to the
prosperity and greatness of a Nation
instead of such virtues like honesty
despite criticism from other
philosophers and economists who favored
a life of virtue over endless
consumption the financial prosperity
resulting from consumerism could not be
ignored raising the question can Society
have the financial prosperity that comes
from the consumption of goods as well as
a life of virtue in 1759 Adam Smith
known as the father of modern economics
wrote the theory of moral sentiments
where he argued that while consumption
is necessary it alone cannot ensure
happiness he stated happiness consists
of tranquility and enjoyment without
Tranquility there can be no enjoyment as
before we can fill much for others we
must in some measure be at ease
ourselves in The Wealth of Nations
published in 1776 Smith argues that
one's individual pursuit of
self-interest does indeed benefit
Society through the consumption of goods
however he warned against excessive
pursuit of trivial items noting that
many ruin themselves through frivolous
spending suggesting that once material
needs are met having now provided the
economic prosperity for society
individuals could then pursue more
virtuous Endeavors while Smith's work
ultimately inspired American capitalism
it is manel's approach that we more
closely emulate setting the foundation
for the conflict that many of us face
today if consumerism is deemed essential
for economic prosperity and personal
well-being where happiness depends
fundamentally on obtaining consumer
goods and material possessions then how
is it that in a world of endless
consumption where greed jealousy and
hate is now the ation status quo that
Americans hold over $1.1 trillion in
credit card debt the highest ever
recorded where 49% of Americans can't
even afford a $1,000 emergency expense
and where more than 61% of Americans
youth feel chronically lonely
unfortunately I believe this to be a
result of what Adam Smith and other
philosophers overlooked as it's not the
satiation of the consumer that is worth
considering rather the satiation of the
business interest as a manipulation of
what Adam Smith called The Invisible
Hand would ultimately dictate the life
of the
consumer in 1902 an attempt to promote
education to the common person John D
Rockefeller donated over a million
dollar to help establish the general
education board however the origins of
our education system reveal a far
different story although it is often
attributed to Horus man largely
considered the father of American
Education his model was directly
inspired by his travels to Prussia or
modern day Germany following a military
defeat to Napoleon bonapart in 1806
prussia's loss was simply attributed to
their soldiers excessive free will to
solve this issue philosopher Johan Fitch
known as the father of German
nationalism argued that education should
aim at destroying Free Will so that
after pupils have left school they shall
be incapable throughout the rest of
their lives of thinking or acting
otherwise than their school Masters
would have wished when the technique has
been perfected
every government that has been in charge
of education for more than one
generation will be able to control its
subject securely without the need of
armies or policemen unlike prussia's
militaristic Focus American Education
with the investment from Rockefeller was
designed to remove Free Will and replace
it with the desire to consume and the
obedience to work rockefeller's trusted
adviser Frederick Taylor Gates stated in
our dream we have Limitless resources
and the people yield themselves with
perfect docility to to our molding hand
the present educational conventions fade
from our minds and unhampered by
tradition we work our own goodwi Upon A
grateful and responsive Royal folk we
shall not try to make these people or
any of their children into philosophers
or men of learning or men of science we
are not to raise up among them authors
orators poets or men of letters we shall
not search for embryo great artists
painters musicians nor will we cherish
even the humbler ambition to raise up
from among them lawyers doctors
preachers Statesman of whom we now have
ample Supply this engineered consumer
mindset only further propelled into
higher education in 1913 Simon Patton
the chair of Wharton School of Business
summarized the new morality of
consumption stating I tell my students
to spend all that they have and borrow
more and then spend that it is no
evidence of loose morality when a
stenographer earning $8 or $10 a week
appears dressed in clothing that takes
nearly all of her earnings to buy but
quite the contrary it is a sign of her
growing moral development today the
average American has over $6,800 in
credit cardet with the average article
of clothing being worn only seven times
before it is discarded while this
removal of free will ultimately created
the foundation of the Endless consumer
it wasn't until our needs were carefully
manipulated and manufactured to desires
did Society become as we know it
today in 1919 nephew of Sigma Freud
Austrian neurologist and founder of
psychoanalysis Edward bernes was most
popularly known as the father of
propaganda and stated the conscious and
intelligent manipulation of the
organized habits and opinions of the
masses is an important element in
Democratic Society those who manipulate
this unseen mechanism of society
constitute an invisible government which
is the true ruling power of our country
we are governed our minds are molded our
tastes formed and our idea is suggested
largely by men we have never heard of as
God did in the beginning it is they who
pull the wires that control the public
mind to engineer the endless consumer
ber stated business cannot afford to
wait until the public asks for its
product it must maintain constant touch
through advertising and propaganda to
assure itself of the continuous demand
which alone will make its costly plant
profitable by 1924 to continue consumer
demand Alfred P Sloan CEO of General
Motors designed planned obsolescence
defined as a strategy of deliberately
ensuring that the current version of a
given product will become out ofd or
useless within a known time period this
proactive measure guarantees that
consumers will seek Replacements in the
future thus bolstering demand Sloan also
tiered the cars based on incomes to
consistently have consumers wanting the
next better version as a sign of wealth
to the masses with Alfred P Sloan
famously stated GM existed not to make
motor cars but to make money today 63%
of Americans replace their new car every
5 years or less Paul mour of Leman
Brothers further expanded this concept
when writing in the Harvard Business
Review in 1927 we must shift America
from a needs to desires culture people
must be trained to desire to want new
things even before the old had been
entirely consumed we must shape a new
mentality in America man's desires must
overshadow his needs due to
overleveraged subprime mortgages high
yield Securities and leverag debt Leeman
brothers Still Remains the largest
bankruptcy in history involving more
than $600 billion do in assets
throughout the 2008 recession just
months before the Great Depression the
31st president of the United States
Herbert Hoover gave a speech to the
young aspiring advertisers stating you
have taken over the job of creating
desire and have transformed people into
constantly moving happiness machines
machines which have become the key to
economic progress and in my opinion I
believe this to be just an absolutely
disgusting view of humanity especially
coming from a president however it's
hard not to see the similarities to how
our Democratic Republic sees us today
not as
Americans nor humans for that matter but
just mere consumerist happiness machines
on trajectory to own nothing and be
happy about it throughout the 1930s the
National Association of Manufacturers in
the US assembled a team of advertisers
marketers and psychologists to
counteract government attempts to manage
the economy during the Depression their
strategy was to launch a Relentless ad
campaign that equated consumerism with
the American way public discourse
relabeled Americans to Consumers and
were reminded at every opportunity of
their Duty to contribute to the economy
by purchasing factorymade products so
talk about your ability to to pass
through price increases are there
products that you feel confident that
the price increases can continue versus
ones that you're like I I got to wait on
that one well I mean if you look at us
we're a company that has 23 billion doll
brands and to us a billion doll brand
means it's a big brand it's a it's a
powerful brand uh given that we've got
such a large number of big Brands and we
invest so much in them as we have in
particular over the last three few years
consumers generally look at our products
and say you know what they are worth
paying a little bit more for while they
may not be able to afford the the big
luxuries in life for us a little bit of
an affordable treat consumers generally
feel good about that so in general the
stronger the brand uh the more the uh
the consumer is is willing to pay a bit
more for in addition to that we've been
innovating quite a bit whether it's uh
minis in a canister or the story lemon
lime product which is a super tasting
lemon lime uh consumers are excited by
Innovation so they they generally are
willing to pay a few pennies more for
that as well oh brother this guy stinks
even radio soap operas became
specifically written with the sole
intention of what the show could
advertise in terms of merchandise
signaling that at the end of your
suffering was just one purchase away
today more than 53% of Americans have
gone into debt using retail therapy as a
way to co hope with their emotions
following World War II as the US saw
remarkable economic growth and rampant
material Pursuits Economist Victor laau
would epitomize the nation status quo
stating our enormously productive
economy demands that we make consumption
our way of life that we convert the
buying power and use of goods into
rituals that we seek our spiritual
satisfaction and our ego satisfaction
and consumption we need things consumed
burned up worn out replaced discarded at
an ever increasing rate and with the
help of Television a one-minute
commercial could reach roughly 160
million Americans up from 8,000
households with TVs in 1946 to 45.7
Million by 1960 and today there are more
TVs than people in the average American
household where adults on average spend
roughly 3 hours a day watching
television being exposed to over 2
million ads annually meanwhile to
establish brand name preference over $17
billion is spent yearly on ads solely
targeting children with the average
child seeing around 40,000 ads a year
and unfortunately this is only escalated
with the introduction of social media as
the average American spends
$754 a year on impul social media
purchases with 81% of consumers buying
decisions being influenced by their
friends post on social media
while Society has been meticulously
engineered and manufactured to squeeze
every last drop out of the consumer or
what I like to call a human being there
is still one last aspect that must be
addressed within the last 50 years the
median wage when adjusted for inflation
has increased by a staggering 18 cents
while the average price for homes have
increased by 1, 1600% food has risen 736
the price of a new car has increased
79% with college having increased by
179% with the average American spending
roughly
$524,000 in taxes throughout one's life
and at large I kept
thinking how is the economy robust right
now while Americans are hurting how is
it that we seem to be in this Paradox of
society verse like humans mankind
and I think it's because it was never
intended for us it's not intended for us
to be together like that that at large
we are a data point for the economy the
economy is not a representation of the
American Consumer of the American human
being because if it was we would be
taught about financial education we
would be taught about how to be able to
Achieve Financial Independence and as we
are able to do so that allows us to then
do what I believe and what Adam Smith
stated to have virtuous Endeavors and to
be able to take care of ourselves and
our
neighbors but the issue is is that if
that happens if it fades us into our
second part you need division to create
dependency that you need us to be
arguing against each other you need us
to not be a uh Happy enjoyable creative
fulfilled Society because that doesn't
print headlines that doesn't make people
dissociate from reality and sit and
watch TV for 3 hours or do impulse
social media purchases or use retail
therapy as a way to cope with their
emotions But ultimately it creates
dependency upon politicians as they are
The Gatekeepers that allow us to have
this illusion that hope is just around
the corner
that they're going to continue to do
these false promises that life will
then go back up we go back to the 50s
and
60s I believe that's possible I believe
that we can go back to the 50s and 60s
except with equality we could make it
even better I believe we have the
components for that Society right
now but it comes from us it comes from
us being able to have the right
conversations the right interactions the
ability to
love ourselves and our neighbor that's
how things happen it isn't from the
material good that you buy it isn't from
society's perception of you none of that
is real it doesn't matter it's a false
reality what is real is you on the other
end of this camera it is me taking what
it is that I can to be able to provide
this and for us to have this interaction
together because I can learn just as
much from you as you can from me and
then we can move that throughout Society
throughout our neighbors and our loved
ones and individuals such as that the
way that we beat this is we do our best
that in I I if you have all the
resources in the world or if you have
none if you're able to provide a helping
hand and a shoulder to lean on to the
person in front of you do your best at
doing that and if you can't do your best
at loving you because you are enough you
doing you and what it is is that you are
doing is enough you are not just some
number on on the uh uh on an economic
chart and you're not here simply to just
be productive you are here to be you and
as uh as Adam Smith said for us to take
care of our neighbors we need to be at
ease within ourselves for us to do that
the more that we prioritize our own
health and well-being the more that we
can actually make change because as we
get out of this endless consumer cycle
we can throw a rope back in and can pull
others out and that's how we begin to
make a change this is not an enjoyable
conversation to have it's quite
discouraging and I don't want to be
spreading uh dis discouragement among
you guys but this is discussions that
need to happen these are things that we
need to be addressing and um I believe
that we can do it and and sometimes you
just need that permission to love
yourself and for us to be begin to just
think about things differently so then
we can combat the real situations the
real issues at hand um I hope that this
was able to provide some sort of value
to you guys as always thank you so much
for your time have a wonderful rest of
your day byebye the middle children of
History man no purpose and
place we have no Great War no Great
Depression our Great War is a spiritual
war our Great Depression is our lives
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