PBS/Google Smarts/AD Nauseam

1) The section entitled ‘my very special trip to the Nike store’ instantly made me think of the PBS video and the company Song. It is incredibly sad that companies are branding people as the kind of people who should represent their store. Companies are not marketing to everyone but only a select few. In the book, Nike was giving away their products to celebrities. In the video, Song entitled the all being representation of their company by the name of a woman. Companies should not be marketing major products to one particular class or gender of people when the products are consumed by people over both genders and all economic statuses. Another part that I also connected to the PBS video was the part from the section on “community.” There is a quote from Seinfeld about how people feel judged by the “community” and how most people have “no idea” that they are living in this community. It is a humorous quote but it really connected to the politics section of the video. The majority of people have no idea about the, on average, 70 demographics that they are fit into for political purposes. It is sad how people are split up into these “communities” for politics, advertising and other big business purposes.

2) Thesis: People can use technology to overcome problems; this is a process of modern day evolution.

2a) I agree with the whole argument that we have been getting smarter to coincide with our evolutionary needs. We are simply responding and surviving. This is true. Technology is helping us to excel evolutionary needs.

I also agree with the fact that having detailed video games and a wide range of media may actually be making us smarter and not really giving us ADD. I see it like this: humans remember about 20% of what they learn every time they learn it. Therefore the more we are introduced to the more we will know. Perhaps all this chaos is just making humans know more things at any given time, hence, smarter.

I do not agree with the argument on drugs. Caffeine and Nicotine are not basic cognitive-enhancement drugs. They throw off the balance of your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Caffeine gives you a high and crash - it is not helping you cognitively. Consistent use of nicotine puts you at a higher risk for just about everything. These drugs are not part of our evolutionary needs.

I agree with the fact that our technology can let us assemble with a few clicks, this is a fact. However, I do not see this as a good thing. There is more value in face to face communication than online get together. There is also something wonderful about no one being able to reach you at any given time. Too much communication can be stressful; I do not really believe it can make us smarter.

3)

a. Politicians can market certain views to any person in any demographic they choose. All they need is a paper full of names classified into various categories of values.

b. Companies now think that products represent emotions. Now when we see ads we are seeing emotions and being directed to associate them with brands and products.

c. The values we have are deeply psychological and can be tapped into for the purpose of giving us a brand that will speak to needs we do not even know we have.

d. Are we really voting for who we want? Maybe not. All it took was one focus group to figure out what words should be used to get both sides of a party to like the candidate.

e. Businesses do not want us to be able to access a place where there are no advertisements. Once you’re in, you’re in.