Dumb Commercials for Dumb People: Media Turns People into Drooling Idiots

reply to post by Copperflower


Wow. and as a recent update, I JUST SAW an Epiduo add right here on ATS!

I don't care that much I guess... or maybe I do... but talk about irony!

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


Your post was WAYYYY to long to read. Could you just summarize it? Thanks

reply to post by pavil


Funny.

I really wish I checked back to the Media and Education forum sooner. I would have liked to get in on this one from the ground up.

Anyway, I'll start by saying "melty" ...really Taco Bell?

Commercials put nonsensical and taboo scenarios in our face every few minutes for a few minutes (apx. 9 out of 30). I can think of a few scenarios that specifically play towards idiocy:

1. No one would ever dare to grab food out of a stranger's hand - even doing it to a friend or relative would be cause for shock. It's animal and basal to lunge for food. Yet time and time again I see commercials for a new product, drink or fast food chain selling food with this gluttonous and ultimately antisocial behavior. It plays into a mindset of greed and I would have to bet it's no wonder that we're so obese in the US when commercials like these are constantly prompting us to be covetous of our food.

2. The idiot is cause for comparison. Many times, the idiot character in a commercial is the person who is mocked. This character is the person we do not want to be, and in order not to be this person, we have to buy the product being sold. I'm not trying to rehash advertising critiques, because there are many threads on here and many books and websites devoted to the different ploys used in advertising. However, I got to say this one bothers me. Most of the time it shows people who would never do things like that.

3. Informercials. It's not that hard to lift furniture, cleaning your effing strainer is not life-ending and your spice cabinet is cluttered because your fat American ass eats out too much and eating in means microwaving a frozen meal. Do yourself a favor, throw away the 5-year old oregano (you were never going to make the Veal tetrazzini anyway) and skip on the newest version of the lazy-susan. Fushigi...yeah, it's amazing. The reflection is what makes it look like it's not moving you idiot. And I'm sure those stupid plastic bracelets are going to make you have the gym body the guy selling it has...it's not a placebo or anything.

And, while I'm on the subject of useless products sold on informercials, let me give a little more advice:
-you were never going to cut PVC pipe with that knife
-Sumo wrestlers are never going to sit on your sofa
-Cracking an egg is only difficult if you are incapable of simple daily tasks
-Yeah, doing a sit-up is difficult when you haven't done one in 10 years, the neck strain will go away...

In fact, most of the products they showcase are used in more ridiculous ways in which the viewer will never use them, even though it's the most amazing aspect presented by the infomercial.

Originally posted by Sphota
Fushigi...yeah, it's amazing. The reflection is what makes it look like it's not moving you idiot.

I actually have one (I got it really cheap through ebay) but I came across it while doing some research on contact juggling. I know, I have to much spare time.
You should watch the disappointing video's on youtube about it. I still can't believe that so many people actually thought that it would float.

On the other hand, I'm still waiting for the magical scrubbers that will clean my bathroom/kitchen for me....

reply to post by unityemissions


This is so true! I watched very little television for several years, until I married my current wife. She watches it from dusk till dawn. Through her, I've had the... enlightening experience of what pop culture's been up to lately. All I can say is: WOW!

I have come to the conclusion that I am missing something... something important. Something that makes you immune to the mind-numbing boringness that is reality tv. Something that makes you masochistic enough to voluntarily watch the same 30-second commercials every 4 minutes over and over and over again.

It's like they identify everything that is appealing and then do the opposite. How do people tolerate this? You know what I think? I think it's a conspiracy. I think they are intentionally putting the absolute worst programming they can think of in order to get us up off the couch and outside. I think that the obesity epidemic is SO BAD, that they are actually trying to bore and repulse us into getting some exercise. The problem is that no matter how awful the shows get, NOTHING WORKS! We still keep watching!!

I can just picture these poor tv people getting so frustrated at our apathy. "ok, check out these skanky people acting like high schoolers with their stupid drama at night clubs. What? You LIKE that? Ok, how about this house full of people who literally DO NOTHING all day except occasionally play a game and form "alliances". Still watching? Damn, alright. Maybe those people were just too pretty... Time to play hardball! Here's a show about a chef who screams at people. Our ratings went UP? Crap! Ok, um.... Here's a show about fat people trying to lose weight. Here's a show about pregnant teenagers! Here's a show about people who eat weird things! Argg!! Why are you still watching?!?!"

Yup. Just like that.

Same goes for radio, btw.

reply to post by Sphota


Absolutely beautiful!

My favorite quote:

(you were never going to make the Veal tetrazzini anyway)

And your opening statement is what I may agree with most, "melty beefy cheesy deliciousy and morer intelligentler" is what they wanted to put in the commercial I think, they just didn't have anyone to be able to pronounce the last 6-syllable word so they had to shorten it.

reply to post by thepixelgarden


I think you are close. I think it is closer to the conspiracy saying that we are just lab rats and they are laughing as we continue to sit and watch their pathetic excuse for entertainment.