Attack of the Average Mind

I have a dollar in my pocket.
It represents a lot to me
I worked hard to get it
And I have so many needs

I have a dollar in my pocket
What can you promise me?
What will you give me?
In exchange for it.

Sound the bell. Set the wheels in motion. This woman has a dollar and she is looking for a place to spend it. So begins the mad rush to promise, sway, and enlighten, whatever it takes to get that dollar. Is it wrong? No. It is business. So how does the “Average” consumer arm himself or herself with the proper defense to make a good decision and get the most out of that dollar?

To the unprepared consumer, “Attack” is exactly what advertisement may feel like. In reality it is not. It is how businesses make money. They spend overwhelming amounts of money to research and target the consumer. Their goal is to convince the consumer, that you just cannot live a happy productive life without their product. They use any means available to do this, and in some cases, have invented ways of learning more about you in order to market their product. There are few ,if any, limits to how far they can go to do this. They use Television, the Internet, and your children’s schools.

Our Text book, “Common Culture” there is an article about sales speak by, author Roy Fox suggesting that big business touches every aspect of our lives. It is unavoidable. He criticizes two major companies for donating electronic equipment to schools in exchange for free advertisement. At first, I was alarmed. This was unfair and not in the best interest of the school system. After doing a little research on my own, I have since changed many of my thoughts. Yes, there is advertisement involved, but there are also learning tools that would not otherwise be available due to budget restrictions placed on public education. So your son or daughter is exposed to some advertising in exchange for opening a door to a whole new world full of knowledge just waiting for a download. You might ask about the child that goes home to his single mother and states, “We need a computer.” The fact that she cannot afford one is not a fair question. I interviewed a man in sales, Mike McDonald, and he had this to say. Should society, as a whole, wait around for everyone to have the same buying power before we move forward? This is a difficult question, because, I too, am a single parent. But Mike also states, “Didn’t big business step up to the plate and offer your child’s school free computers in exchange for a little advertising?” Not a perfect world, but at least the child still gets exposure to something Mom cannot provide at home. When she can afford to get a computer, where do you think her loyalties lie? They lie with the company that gave her son or daughter the educational advantage that she could not afford. Why not. There is no right or wrong to it; it is just business.