Are we being manipulated?

[tim west]

To try to inject some fresh debate onto the forum I was wondering what others felt about ways that government and society have to control and govern our actions.

One of the most obvious is the use of the advertising and product placement medium.

Products will be advertised as making us look or be more attractive without any real proof to be the case, yet the public will fall for the speel and buy the product in abundance.

Advertisers will categorise the appeal into sexes ie cars for male and female when its in reality just a lump of metals and plastics, does it matter who drives what?

Advertisers appeal to the natural inbuilt need for females to look and feel good in themselves.

They also appeal to the masculine side of males with their macho adverts.

I was wondering what other methods come to mind with others here and do you feel you have a free choice in life or are you just fitting in and complying with the rules( not so much laws but peer pressure) of society.

The above are more obvious methods, it's the subtle methods i'm interested in, do you know of any?

 

[stephenf8542]

Placing threads on forums so they can read our thoughts
That free newspaper you get on public transport so everyones got the same message

 

[tim west]

Free newspapers is a good one, appealing to our greedy nature.

what about subliminal messaging? I know they "banned" it sometime back but did they really or has it been re-introduced?

 

[regsmyth]

I'd say religion is quite useful for keeping the population on the straight and narrow.
Plus a bit of hype about terrorists, crime, paedophiles. Does wonders for keeping us scared.
Anything to stop us going out into the world, thinking for ourselves and achieving our potential.

 

[sooey]

I'd say religion is quite useful for keeping the population on the straight and narrow.

It pales into insignificance compared to telly, i.e. soaps, celebs, and reality tv sh1te, and football.

 

[Shutpa]

What about the supermarket mousetraps?Went in this morning to buy an article right at the entrance but had to 'walk the aisles' to get to the checkout.

Edit: TW, you are being serious for a change aren't you?

 

[Space cat]

I'd say religion is quite useful for keeping the population on the straight and narrow.

Religion certainly was - and in many places still is - a favourite means of keeping the plebs in line. "Do as you're told or you'll BURN IN HELL!!!" Alternatively you might try this one: "Do as you're told if you want the sun to come back tomorrow."

That's why blasphemy was once a serious business. You couldn't afford to have people asking awkward questions about the nature of God - or Allah - or whatever other deity you had dreamt up.

Another well tried and tested one has become known as Bread and Circuses. Keep your subjects well fed and entertained and they won't give you any trouble. The Romans were very good at it.

The snag is that these old tricks don't work so well on a well educated population but there are other, more subtle ways of keeping people in line. Politicians, advertisers and salesmen know them all. A common advertising trick consists of inventing a problem that never existed before and then selling you something to fix it. Shake and Vac was a typical example, bottled water is another and air fresheners are a third. Feel free to add more.

PS: I nearly forgot about Use-by dates. Shops resisted these at first but they've turned them into a brilliant way of making extra money - by getting us to throw away perfectly good food. Now that, when so many people are starving, has to be the biggest scandal of the lot.

 

[tim west]

Some excellent examples, Bread and Circuses for one (star trek, tax concessions around election time) and of course religion keep em coming.

Yes bolo i am being serious, what else would I be

 

[Space cat]

This one will get right up the noses of the militant feminists but here goes anyway:

Although stupid and oppressive rules have traditionally been made by men - and generally still are - they are more likely to be perpetuated by women.

I would be surprized if advertisers didn't know this. If I'm right, the majority of TV ads will be aimed at a female audience. I'll have to start taking notice.

 

[yme]

Why is it that in TV adverts the man is always portrayed as a wimpish idiot while the woman is a smug know it all, and when did it start.
(Please, no ladies coming on saying it's true to life)

 

[Space cat]

Why is it that in TV adverts the man is always portrayed as a wimpish idiot while the woman is a smug know it all

Because it's aimed at a female audience - and that's QED I think! Don't feel too bad about it. The advertisers only make women look smarter than us so that they can fleece them.

PS: Listen carefully ladies because I'll say this only once. (Actually, this is the second time.) Here's a bit of advice that you'll never find in any fashion magazine, for the simple reason that there's no way anybody can make money out of it. Stop wasting your hard earned cash and use what Mother Nature gave you. Your greatest potential sexual asset is a genuine interest in sex!

 

[tim west]

Stop wasting your hard earned cash and use what Mother Nature gave you. Your greatest potential sexual asset is a genuine interest in sex!

Give this person a medal! Wise words indeed

 

[Shytalkz]

And of course, stoking of the fire that is The War Against Terror helps inculcate fear in the populace, thus rendering them more susceptible to suggestive manipulation and complete acquiescence when it comes to loss of privacy, liberty and rights.

 

[Blasphemous]

That's why blasphemy was once a serious business.

ONCE a serious business!? Jesus Christ man! God only knows how many people get that wrong. It's absolutely thriving here in Whitley Bay!

 

[jondecs]

TV Adverts from gov.org onThe new religion of climate change... There are now actually people who believe that these windmills will take the place of power stations ..and god help anyone who disagrees with it... or dave attenborough, or the carbon brokers making millions out of fresh air or a greeen mep