Sam Harris

That’s right—what’s needed is education, training in introspection, science, etc. for the masses—all the things we have heard recommended as the possible solutions for the bind that religion has gotten us into. A broad and deep education will go a long way toward easing many of the ills of this world.

There is simply no use in complaining or trying to ban commercials in a country that was born of free enterprise. But commercials would assume a different character if everyone (or a lot of people) were educated enough to see through them and judge them.

Now, how are we going to achieve this education project?

[quote author=“Beth Kurtz”]That’s right—what’s needed is education, training in introspection, science, etc. for the masses—all the things we have heard recommended as the possible solutions for the bind that religion has gotten us into. A broad and deep education will go a long way toward easing many of the ills of this world.

There is simply no use in complaining or trying to ban commercials in a country that was born of free enterprise. But commercials would assume a different character if everyone (or a lot of people) were educated enough to see through them and judge them.

Now, how are we going to achieve this education project?

Sticky question as critical thinking appears to be on the way out.

I suppose the only way would be to educate the one percent of the population that controls the wealth of our country that without critical thinking we will fall behind in the race for global supermacy.

lawrence said, referring to beth’s perfect statement regarding education:

Sticky question as critical thinking appears to be on the way out.

actually, thanks to democracy and the internet, critical thinking is in, like a tsunami!

You could be right. And hopefully the internet will bring education to those who up to now have resisted it. You can often depend on the young to throw out large chunks of their parents’ world views.

Lawrence:

I would suggest that rather than appeal to our subconscious, advertising is directed at our belief systems which are very much a conscious activity.  In fact, the research suggests that subliminal advertising is not all that successful in changing attitudes, opinions or behaviour.

You suggest that most people are not in touch with their subconscious.  By definition, none of us are!  The moment we are “in touch” with our subconscious, the thought is conscious.

I agree that advertsing is directed at our emotions.  This, however, is insufficient in creating the impetus for behaviour.  As Sam Harris points out in his book, action is preceded by belief.  Ads are successful because they speak to a commonly held set of beliefs. 

I would suggest that Sam has been somewhat unkind to Noam Chomsky in his book, but perhaps one of the best discourses on the power of advertising can be found in Edwards and Chomsky’s book “Manufacturing Consent”.  The argument here is that the media has been successful in selling a belief system that North Americans are only too willing to embrace.

[quote author=“bcull”]Lawrence:

I would suggest that rather than appeal to our subconscious, advertising is directed at our belief systems which are very much a conscious activity.  In fact, the research suggests that subliminal advertising is not all that successful in changing attitudes, opinions or behaviour.

You suggest that most people are not in touch with their subconscious.  By definition, none of us are!  The moment we are “in touch” with our subconscious, the thought is conscious.

I agree that advertsing is directed at our emotions.  This, however, is insufficient in creating the impetus for behaviour.  As Sam Harris points out in his book, action is preceded by belief.  Ads are successful because they speak to a commonly held set of beliefs. 

I would suggest that Sam has been somewhat unkind to Noam Chomsky in his book, but perhaps one of the best discourses on the power of advertising can be found in Edwards and Chomsky’s book “Manufacturing Consent”.  The argument here is that the media has been successful in selling a belief system that North Americans are only too willing to embrace.

Ever day as we go about our everyday lives we are totally bombarded with an endless parade of messages awakening us to our innermost desires. Accepting our culture as the enlightened one in every facet is the same as being a fundamentalist of the commercial-industrial-corporate-mass media-entertainment complex that directs our energy towards fruitless and faulty solutions for contentment and happiness.