I've had this post sitting in my draft queue for over 2 years. COVID-19 gave me a chance to reflect on what is really important: a home, food, access to basic hygiene like hot water & soap, reliable transportation & an appropriate job.
As a teen who grew up in the 1980s, where shopping malls were the congregation place for like-minded peers on the weekend, I couldn't really comprehend that I was being programmed. I think we did that because it was mostly to feel a sense of 'belonging', to think that spending money on things I didn't really need was normal. We all did this when hanging out. We were being taught to spend money.
Consumerism is a fallacy that we've accepted that measures individual "success" with how much money we earn. Advertising companies would have me believe it's not enough to update my phone every two years (or less!). Every year, a better camera, a faster chip set, a bigger screen, and don’t forget - more and more expensive. The phone has obsolescence built-in, in order to keep generating a profit. That's not progress, that's servitude. I'm not even mentioning the environmental impact and e-waste.
Everywhere you look, there's advertising. It's infected every media format there is. The CEOs will tell you "advertising pays for the features", however that's just because that is the easiest way to get your attention - diverting it from something that is important to you.
Imagine being able to exist without someone trying to sell something to you. Isn't that a nice thought?
