Conflicted

Being home for Thanksgiving has allowed me to see how much we, as people, are manipulated in our everyday lives. After being in this class, it is hard not to notice the small things that influence our decisions. It doesn’t seem to matter where I am going, or what I am doing, I now always seem to notice some form of manipulation acting on me.

Yesterday my family and I decided to go to the movies, and of course somehow left 15 minutes later than we were hoping to. This resulted in us rushing out of the house in order to get to the theater “on time”. In all honesty though, why bother rushing? What are we going to miss, the 20 minutes of trailers that are only there to manipulate us into coming back and spending more money on another movie or two? The problem is, however, I personally love the trailers. I know what the companies are doing by showing them, but I still watch. Seeing a preview of the newest movies coming out leaves me hanging and wanting more, thus making me need to see the movie: I am invested.

The mall is another prime example of extreme manipulation. It is almost impossible to go into the mall and come out having bought only one thing. The level of manipulation is absurd. As if the influence of brand names, store names and sales clerks wasn’t enough, there are always people in the mall handing me products and asking me if I want to hear about the “newest thing”. I see all of this manipulation happening around me, but I still allow myself to be influenced by it. Just two days ago, instead of buying the cheaper socks, I of course bought the under armor ones because I have been totally manipulated by the brand name.

Over this break I have been aware of all the manipulation that surrounds me at this time of year… and how I never noticed it before. However, this break has also made me realize that sometimes being aware of the manipulation doesn’t make you want it to go away… it just makes you more cynical.