Is there anything more distinctly American than the idea that certain commercials are actually awaited by a vast audience of eager American Consumers? During the National Football League's annual championship Bowl Game, known as the "Super Bowl," this is exactly what happens. It is a Wet Dream come true for the participating Corporations and Commercial Producers. For some of us, however, it is proof that Americans precipitate much of the oppressive Reality that is created by American Businesses and Government.
And we are like Moths to the Fire. Marketers concoct these horrible creations and Americans oblige by watching them attentively and purchasing the Products, Services, and/or Lifestyles sold in them. Few stop to realize that the Commercials would disappear if they did not produce results. But, they have become the backbone of American Capitalism.
Ever since President Richard Nixon took the United States off of the Gold Standard, our Economy has been driven more intensely than ever by Consumerism. Our entire Gross Domestic Product is dependent on Consumer Sales.
For many of us, myself included, the question that continues to haunt us, relative to this Consumerism is: WHY? What could possibly have gone so wrong in the American Psyche that we believe that "buying shit" will make us Happier? [Yes, the term American Psyche is actually a link to a Book on the Subject that can be purchased at Amazon.com. Purchase it from the Amazon.com link on my Page, and I get some Payment as an Affiliate Seller.]
There does seem to at least a loose relationship between Consumerism and a lack of Spirituality in one's life. Experiencing a deeper sense of meaning in one's life can often negate much of the desire to fill that life with stuff instead.
While I am a Soto Zen Buddhist [Buddhism is actually 2,500 years old, by the way], and not a Practitioner of any New Age Spirituality, I believe that the Explanation at the Link above is actually a pretty good one. Religion represents much of the Ritual and Dogma that many people mistakenly associate with Spirituality.
There is clearly a relationship between Protestant Christianity and Materialism. One particular type of Protestant Christian Practice is most closely associated with Materialism: Calvinism. It is from Calvinism that the Protestant Work Ethic arises. In this concept, Material Prosperity is associated with Godliness, and Good Religious Practice.
To state this idea most simply, if God likes you, he makes you Rich. If you act as God wishes, he will like you. And thus, we have a natural Religious Progression towards spending. If God did not you mean for you to spend those Riches, then why would he give them to you?
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| http://www.amazon.com/God-Wants-You-Rich-Spiritual/dp/1416549277/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328484100&sr=1-3 |
The more that Capitalism has become closely associated with Americanism, and Americanism has become associated with Religion, the more people equate God and Country. There is nothing more American or Godly than spending.
Spending in a lavish and visual manner also serves to show how much God must Love us. If people cannot see the visible attributions of God's Gift of Wealth, then how will our Peers know how Good we are?
So, back to the Commercials during the Super Bowl. Can it be that the Sponsors of these Commercials are simply trying help Americans find God?
The likely answer is "No." If there is one thing that can be said about most Commercials that is that they are, by and large, self-serving creations of Marketers and Corporations. Do any of the actual Human Beings involved sponsoring and creating such Commercials even believe in a "God"? There is really no way to know. Would they be less Greedy if they did? Again, there is no way to know. History has shown us that belief in Deities does not necessarily prevent Greed. History is actually full of instances of Greedy Violence acted out in the name of Religion.
Back to the question of why are people drawn to Commercials? After looking at the information that I have presented, and doing some investigation on your own, I believe that it would be hard to come up with any answer to that question other than the following:
Commercials are a Contemporary Response to Primal Existential Tensions
People feel a need to Consume as a way to seek a Hedge against their own Mortality. If we have things, we may feel that we are less likely to Die - or at least less likely to notice that we are about to Die. If that seems like a less than Sane Reaction to a complex, and unavoidable component of life, that is because it is not Sane.
Watching ridiculous Commercials during the Super Bowl, and subsequently obeying their stated or implied commands, will not bring one Existential Relief. And even if we perceive such Commercials to be an interesting way to pass the time, we must remember that they were not designed to be merely Entertaining. These Commercials were designed to Sell and/or Persuade. They are a de facto form or Propaganda.
Propaganda works most effectively on its targets on levels that they are usually unaware of. We have our thoughts and actions influenced by it in ways that we are rarely aware of. I used to work at the National Security Agency, and I am fairly familiar with some of the worst of what it does. It is rarely used for good, and even more rarely understood by its targets.
My Blog Posts are themselves, actually a form of Propaganda. Though I make them to try and educate my Readers on subjects that I wish to express my Point of View on, many might consider my Posts to be deceptive and unduly persuasive.
I will neither dispute nor defend such assertions. My Posts speak for themselves. What I would expects my Readers [I have them?] be concerned about, as a Consumers of Information, would be the day that my Posts become part of Commercials during the Super Bowl. They might be just as cute, but who knows what I would be trying to sell you?
Peace and Compassion to you.
Jeffrey
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