2) In today’s environment persuasion exists in every facet of our lives. With the introduction of smart phones, wifi, and other technological advancements people are more connected in ways that have never existed before. This, in turn, is an extraordinary advantage for those who intend to persuade. Just as people are more connected to different avenues of the world, advertisers and companies are that much more connected to the individuals. Thus, allowing them to stream their methods of persuasion, like advertising, directly to our years and eyes. In advertising, persuasion goes beyond the obvious. Meaning, when you see a commercial of a young, skinny, full breasted female eating a Calr’s Jr burger, you are not expected to turn into a robot and go to your nearest Carl’s Jr and buy a burger. Think for a moment about the female in the advertisement. There is an obvious appeal to men. But if you take it a step further, that female is painting a picture of what females today are supposed to look like. Therefore, contributing to the stigma of women and there appearance. Furthermore, encouraging males in our society to pursue those characteristics or persuade their significant other to alter themselves in efforts to meet those characteristics.
You make some very valid points about the impact of technological advances in our lives when it comes to the powers of persuasion. Its amazing when you really stop and think about all the information we take in on a daily basis. I usually think of persuasion of being in the form of advertisers, sales man/women, etc. The fact is it is a lot deeper than that. Take facebook and other social media sites for example. The power of persuasion a "like" carries is tremendous. You like a product or service and have just told hundreds, possibly thousands of people you recommend that product or service in one key stroke. Essentially you become the advertiser, hence the persuader. You may post a status of a persuasive nature or "like" someone else's persuasive comments, which is then seen by their friends as well as yours, and so on.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't even occur to me that even my smartphone is a tool for advertisements. It pops up with some from random apps and I get them on the bottom of the screen with others. The world truly is a place where everything is meant to persuade us to think that a certain thing is better than the other. It is kind of amazing that I could not walk down the street or turn on the TV without some sort of persuasive media. I believe that if we are informed about things, then we will be able to make our own decisions and not be roped in to something that we really don't want or need.
ReplyDeleteOk, so when I was typing my blog about this question, I totally was envisioning the same commercial! Weird right? and I have no idea why but that commercial sticks with me every time. I always say to myself.. really a girl would never look like that if she ate those hamburgers.. lol.. TV is a joke and what media portrays a woman 'should' look like is the most unreasonable thing I have ever seen in my life. It is so sad to me that women can't just be accepted as they are. They are expected to spend their life trying to be something they are not just to impress people, men, and in an effort to feel confident. I hav ehad 3 children, all whom I cherish dearly, and because of that I am far from perfect! With that being said, I am proud of my imperfect body and life because with these imperfections comes unconditional love and happiiness! I wish more people could feel the way I do. They would be much happier and in turn make the ones around then happier as well.
ReplyDelete