I'm going to put on my serious hat and talk about an advertisement that I watched today that made me feel like something is really wrong with our priorities today in this country. Now I don't watch a lot of television programming because I don't have cable service by choice, but I do pick up a couple of shows on the internet and of course those do have commercials, usually the same ones repeated ad nauseum. (Ha, that's a pun!)
The one I saw today I only needed to see one time for it to make a distinct impression on me, one that I think will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. Of course, that's exactly what the goal of commercials are, to stay with you, to make you want to buy things. But in this case that impression was extremely negative. I mean, negative on a level that was almost visceral.
The commercial was for the Dodge Big Finish Event. The words that made me go from general eye-rolling at buying a car for Christmas being over the top in the first place, to complete disdain were: "Let's see the neighbors compete with that."
I repeat: "Let's see the neighbors compete with that."
We are in the worst, yet still unacknowledged, depression this country has seen in my generation's lifetime. People are worried about having enough money to put food on the table and scraping together what they can to buy meager Christmas presents. People are worried about keeping their jobs. People are worried about what to do now that their homes have been destroyed in a storm so violent some people are still without power because the infrastructure was completely destroyed.
And Dodge has the audacity to want people to buy a new car for Christmas. Not, perhaps, because you need one. Not because your current one was flooded out and you need to replace it. But because if you buy one of their cars, you'll somehow be better than your neighbors. You'll keep ahead of the Joneses. Maybe someone forgot to send Dodge the memo that the Jonses are on unemployment and so are the Smiths.
Christmas is about the Christ child being born into humble circumstances. It is, even for non-believers, a time of generating peace on Earth and good will towards your neighbors. It's about giving a hand to those in need. It is for showing brotherly love not unbrotherly hubris. It is not about one-upmanship. It is not about trying to make yourself better than others because of your purchases. It is not about worshipping at the altar of rampant consumerism. At least it shouldn't be.
I'm sorry, Dodge, but not only did you miss the boat on this one, you're not even in the right ocean.
New Day, Different Rant
November 29th, 2012 at 02:56 am
November 29th, 2012 at 03:03 am 1354158180
November 29th, 2012 at 03:14 am 1354158862
UGH!
November 29th, 2012 at 02:08 pm 1354198107
November 29th, 2012 at 03:10 pm 1354201840
November 29th, 2012 at 04:34 pm 1354206849
November 29th, 2012 at 09:19 pm 1354223958
November 30th, 2012 at 01:45 am 1354239905
November 30th, 2012 at 08:07 pm 1354306068
USE YOUR HOME EQUITY TO BUY THAT SPECIAL GIFT!
December 4th, 2012 at 09:08 pm 1354655296