Post by Lionheart on Dec 4, 2007 15:16:18 GMT -5
OK, rant mode on here...
One of my biggest pet peeves is advertisements for jewelry, whether they're on TV, on the radio, whatever.
Now, I'm as much in favor of capitalism and all that good stuff as anybody, and I'm not a member of the paranoid set that's always muttering darkly about the ad media molding our minds to the benefit of their greed. Everybody knows that everyone's looking to make a profit and they'll say whatever's necessary to do it, and everyone can buy into it or tell them to take a hike as they please. We all know how the game works. But something about the jewelry industry and their advertising tactics just really torques me off. I guess it's the fact that they may be the worst offenders of any industry in cynically preying on people's emotions and encouraging unhealthy materialistic tendencies. It's just SO blatant. And yet people still fall for it, because the jewelry industry has positioned itself as a parasite on the concept of love and romance, and people are so desperate to have that in their lives they'll believe anything.
These pieces of propaganda are trying to make men think that they're well-nigh obligated to go deeply into debt purchasing random sparkly baubles for their wives/girlfriends/significant others every conceivable occasion - birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day...and of course, Christmas.
And at the same time, naturally, they're trying to condition women to expect these extravagant supposed tokens of affection several times a year.
You'd think it would get boring pretty quick if any guy actually had enough cash to buy diamond rings and necklaces and bracelets and earrings at quarterly intervals. Do the majority of women actually care about jewelry that much in this day and age? Would they if they weren't told they should by the three jewelry stores at every mall needing to stay in business?
If you were in physical proximity to me on a regular basis, you would hear me spewing invective at my TV or radio in response to these ads pretty much year-round, but this time of year is the worst. I think the jewelry drumbeat is actually more intense for Christmas than it is for Valentine's day.
All of these ads try to convince you they'll give you a really good deal on their wares, of course. But the worst are the ones that actually try to make you believe that your sweetie will like the gift even more if she knows you got a "bargain." Yeah, right. Who are we kidding? Isn't the appeal of jewelry for women largely that the guy cares enough to spend a lot of money? It's not the vanity of wanting something pretty to wear as much as it is the vanity of being spoiled financially, if you ask me. She's not going to think you're brilliant for getting the best deal on her diamond, she's going to be hurt that you'd set any financial threshold on expressing your love for her - she's been conditioned to.
Because, as everyone knows, love is best expressed through material offerings - and ridiculously expensive and impractically useless material offerings at that. Money can buy you love, fellas, and things can bring you happiness. Clue in.
*Sigh* OK, I'm done. I'm teetering on the brink of insanity from finals stress here, and every time I sit down in front of my TV or turn on the radio in my car I'm bombarded with these ads threatening to push me over the brink, and I had to blow off some steam somehow, somewhere. If you agree with me, feel free to throw some "Right on, preach it, mah brother!" affirmation my way. Or tell me to go take a sedative or just ignore me, whatever.
One of my biggest pet peeves is advertisements for jewelry, whether they're on TV, on the radio, whatever.
Now, I'm as much in favor of capitalism and all that good stuff as anybody, and I'm not a member of the paranoid set that's always muttering darkly about the ad media molding our minds to the benefit of their greed. Everybody knows that everyone's looking to make a profit and they'll say whatever's necessary to do it, and everyone can buy into it or tell them to take a hike as they please. We all know how the game works. But something about the jewelry industry and their advertising tactics just really torques me off. I guess it's the fact that they may be the worst offenders of any industry in cynically preying on people's emotions and encouraging unhealthy materialistic tendencies. It's just SO blatant. And yet people still fall for it, because the jewelry industry has positioned itself as a parasite on the concept of love and romance, and people are so desperate to have that in their lives they'll believe anything.
These pieces of propaganda are trying to make men think that they're well-nigh obligated to go deeply into debt purchasing random sparkly baubles for their wives/girlfriends/significant others every conceivable occasion - birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day...and of course, Christmas.
And at the same time, naturally, they're trying to condition women to expect these extravagant supposed tokens of affection several times a year.
You'd think it would get boring pretty quick if any guy actually had enough cash to buy diamond rings and necklaces and bracelets and earrings at quarterly intervals. Do the majority of women actually care about jewelry that much in this day and age? Would they if they weren't told they should by the three jewelry stores at every mall needing to stay in business?
If you were in physical proximity to me on a regular basis, you would hear me spewing invective at my TV or radio in response to these ads pretty much year-round, but this time of year is the worst. I think the jewelry drumbeat is actually more intense for Christmas than it is for Valentine's day.
All of these ads try to convince you they'll give you a really good deal on their wares, of course. But the worst are the ones that actually try to make you believe that your sweetie will like the gift even more if she knows you got a "bargain." Yeah, right. Who are we kidding? Isn't the appeal of jewelry for women largely that the guy cares enough to spend a lot of money? It's not the vanity of wanting something pretty to wear as much as it is the vanity of being spoiled financially, if you ask me. She's not going to think you're brilliant for getting the best deal on her diamond, she's going to be hurt that you'd set any financial threshold on expressing your love for her - she's been conditioned to.
Because, as everyone knows, love is best expressed through material offerings - and ridiculously expensive and impractically useless material offerings at that. Money can buy you love, fellas, and things can bring you happiness. Clue in.
*Sigh* OK, I'm done. I'm teetering on the brink of insanity from finals stress here, and every time I sit down in front of my TV or turn on the radio in my car I'm bombarded with these ads threatening to push me over the brink, and I had to blow off some steam somehow, somewhere. If you agree with me, feel free to throw some "Right on, preach it, mah brother!" affirmation my way. Or tell me to go take a sedative or just ignore me, whatever.
is booking this crap, anyways? The latest one, where she's texting her friends from a date (and who the 