Sage advice for us plodding on in the 21st century

One word that may sum it up: decency

Should the lady whose image appears above be unfamiliar to you, it is quite easy to find out all about her and the things she stands for. Fortunately, in this day and age in which the development of technology happens much faster than the passing on of values such as decency, that technology gives us the opportunity to look up that which we ought to know and live.

If the other name included in the advice above is unheard of, you may look it up as well. Or not.

Does Planned Parenthood offer discounts on fetal parts bought in bulk?

Who knows if such an inquiry would one day be brought up by some company or shady characters in the black market when Planned Parenthood makes an underground "Up for grabs! Healthy heart-and-lungs package from 24-week-old, and freshly harvested fully developed liver!" announcement?!

The latest news regarding Planned Parenthood is revolting, but it is only the latest of a string of practices that worsen already serious societal ills and which glaringly show why Planned Parenthood deserves to be shut down. The recently disclosed evidence showing the abortion provider's trafficking of fetal organs shouldn't distract us from the fact that it is still responsible for the death of more than 300,000 human lives every year.

And just in case you have allowed some people's dazzling arguments to convince you so that a part of you doubts the humanity of babies in their mother's womb, it's really simple:

This and this are worthy reads to bring you up to speed and help you form your own judgment on the issue. And more developments on the investigations to be conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives and five states (as of this writing) are here.

On slumber, smoke & "happy hormones"

 Blowing your budget isn’t a prerequisite to enhancing your looks. Here are simple things you can start doing right now to boost your beauty without spending anything.

How many times have you heard someone explain the pretty looks or the radiant quality of women by saying that such women have the money to maintain their presumably pricey regimen? “Magastos magpaganda” or “May pera siya eh,” you yourself may have uttered at some point to dismiss fresh-looking ladies who seem beautifully put-together.

The good news is, while money can buy things that offer solutions (not necessarily the right ones) to your beauty woes, many of the things you need so as to bring out your natural radiance are a matter of lifestyle. And by making a few simple changes in your lifestyle, you’ll see positive results in your appearance and in your well-being, too.

If your body could talk, it will certainly tell you these three simple things:

“Give me enough sleep.”
Movies and fashion features may turn to zombies for inspiration, but aiming for a “night of the living dead” look in real life is not advisable. Is your shut-eye limited to 4 or 5 hours almost every night? If it is, it’s bound to show up on your face – and in your disposition – over time.

“Lack of sleep causes slackness in the skin, tension in the face, and frown lines, and makes the skin look lifeless,” says dermatologist Gail Dacudao, M.D. of Violets Salon & Skin Clinic in Las Pinas, adding that cells reproduce most actively between midnight and 4 a.m.  A good night’s sleep, therefore, is nature’s rejuvenating treatment for the skin.

Plus, when you lack sleep, you’re bound to be cranky the following morning. Listen to your body and give it adequate rest; this way it’ll be easier for your sparkling personality to come out (or at least more smiles than scowls will show up).

Here’s a tip: Find out what’s causing you to clock in too little time for sleeping, then make adjustments. Is Facebook keeping you up till late? Taking home work too often? Take determined steps to address the problem and you’ll feel the difference when your mind and body get the restorative benefits of enough peaceful slumber.  

“Go smoke-free!”
Let’s not go into the details of lung cancer and emphysema as potential consequences of smoking because you probably know that already. Let’s just underscore the fact that cigarettes can end up making you look ugly. Why? Because “haggard” is not among the adjectives that normally describe women who exemplify beauty. “Lovely” and “charming” will not come to mind when gazing at your parched skin, possibly hollow cheeks and overall gaunt appearance – which smoking, unfortunately, eventually leads to several years down the road. Authentic beauty goes beyond skin-deep, but in this case, your body must be pleading with you to at least think about your skin.

“Studies have estimated that people who smoke appear to be as much as 10 or 20 years older than their actual non-smoking counterparts by the time they reach mid-life,” Dacudao points out.

“Smoking causes accelerated production of an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase-1 that breaks down collagen in the skin,” the doctor explains. Collagen, by the way, is a protein – found in the skin – which gives the skin its suppleness. “This means that you lose youthful plumpness of your skin far more quickly than you would if you don’t smoke.”

Besides, nicotine has been shown to have a diuretic effect, the dermatologist adds, thereby depleting the moisture in your skin and giving it a parched appearance. Now you wouldn’t want that for your skin, which happens to be the largest organ (not all body organs are internal like the heart or the brain), would you? So, the way to go is smoke-free!

“Make friends with endorphins!”
Simply put, your body releases hormones called endorphins whenever you exercise.  And these endorphins act somewhat as a “natural analgesic” by reducing your perception of pain. In addition, endorphins trigger a feeling of euphoria and a general state of well-being – a natural high, if you will.


Just think: if exercise is part of your routine, then you’ll be giving yourself a regular boost of “happy hormones.” But first, banish the thought that by “exercise” we automatically mean working out at the gym, 10-k runs, hours of zumba, or racket sports. Those are choices and many people do enjoy regularly engaging in such activities, but the key is to be physically active. Walking, if done on a regular basis, is considered exercise already.

So, when you get your heart rate up by brisk walking, running around campus or dancing, you stimulate blood circulation and thereby help your body maintain its health. And when your body is healthy, illness is kept at bay, you feel great, and this in turn influences your disposition and appearance. The natural high, too, from the release of endorphins is all you need to achieve that youthful glow which won’t cost you anything!

Woman Today magazine
September 2013

If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life....

Is there anyone who aims to be miserable? Do you know anyone who does not long for a life of happiness?

Something in the video below struck me -- it's the part where the narrator pointed out that people, when they experience feelings of insecurity, tend to focus more on material things (which may translate to making unintended purchases). Still, whenever I'm out in the mall and I pass all those stores with such attractive window displays and inviting merchandise, I strive to keep in mind what a philosopher (was it Socrates?) supposedly said the following to himself whenever coming upon some goods: Here are more things that I don't need.

The first video illustrates some really thought-provoking ideas and findings about life, happiness, and our search for the latter as we got about the former. With materialism hovering over us and often taking over our priorities and choices, the result is sometimes a false sense of happiness. And unwittingly we pass on this imbalance in priorities to our children or to other young ones who look up to us, and what do we get? It's in the second video.

Another hodgepodge post

Lifesaver, maternity, anonymous send-off, Francis.

That's just about all I'm providing to clue you in on the items you'll find below -- aside from excerpts from each, and a lovely photo.

"My mom taught me if someone needed help not to just stand there and not do anything, but to make an effort and try," he said.

Chicago Middle Schooler saves two lives in one week

* * * * *

Capturing mothers with their children around the world, I thought that the photos were beautiful, inspiring and definitely worth a share.

 

Universal beauty of motherhood

* * * * *

He was struck by how humbling it was to be present at that man’s burial even though he never knew him in life. “I believe fully that we’ll run into these people again someday in heaven.” 

Swint said taking part in the one of the Corporal Works of Mercy of burying the dead is “very important work,” especially for those who are unidentified. 

“The program exists to take care of these poor because in God’s eyes, we’re all the same,” he said.

Unknown dead buried with reverence at Catholic cemetery

* * * * *

Pope Francis went on to observe, "If you break a computer it is a tragedy, but poverty, the dramas, the needs of so many people end up becoming the norm... If in so many parts of the world there are children who have nothing to eat, that's not news either. It becomes the norm. But if the stock market drops 10 points it is a tragedy."

 

How much online pollution is one willing to take?

Before leaving the house this morning, I struggled with a bunch of tangled-up necklaces, aiming for the one with the glass beads, which I hadn't worn in quite a while. When pulling it out from the hook holding all the accessories proved unsuccessful, I took down all the necklaces and gingerly tugged at the one I wanted. When that didn't work, I sort of let go of a couple of the chains, hoping they would fall off from the bunch thereby letting loose the glass-beads one that started this whole untangling challenge. No luck.

Okay, just carefully untangle the tangled parts one by one and you'll get there soon enough, I told myself while thinking how much a boost to my self-esteem it would be once I successfully pulled out the blue-silver-and-gray set of chains I was fixated on (this self-confidence issue and tangled chains, cables and other kinds of cords deserves its own blog post!). Then I wondered, do most of the millions of Facebook users type status messages -- even the most mundane ones -- for the sake of their self-esteem? Does it work? Does it make them feel like celebrities? Do they end up feeling loved? I read halfway through someone's blog post about this unfortunate phenomenon of social media junkies proclaiming their opinions about everything, and it made me feel better. One does not have to acquire a bourgeoisie mentality (or to feel territorial about writing) to be disenchanted by the whole thing. I mean, when erroneous statements or really shallow views make it to the public sphere -- and worse, when netizens give their nod to such proclamations... and worst, when the dudes who make lacking-in-substance statements acquire quasi-icon status in the process -- one can swim in the waters of discouragement for some time.

But nothing can get me down and cause me more sorrow than seeing serious condescension toward another -- and by "serious" I don't mean devoid of "LOL," "hehe" or other such devices that may sometimes serve the same purpose as "Just sayin'" at the end of a potentially controversial assertion. I suppose no one is spared from occasions of expressing feelings of superiority toward others in some way. However, social media has been around long enough to make the pattern predictable: someone does something deemed way down below on the intelligence meter (or the integrity index), and all hell breaks loose, verbally speaking. And it's not of the "Oh, crap!" variety. Or maybe "What a stupid rock! It doesn't even grow and reproduce!" Or "My dog has the 'personality' of a paper clip." Or even "No-good avocado tree! Puro asthma attack na nga inaabot ng kapitbahay sa kakapausok ko sa 'yo! Ni isang bunga wala pa rin! Die! Just die!"

No, the words that can fill networking sites with such ire are directed at persons. Who knew uttering words that don't belong in civilized conversation in the real world could one day be hurled at persons by the minute in an alternate plane? And you even get to have an audience while you do so.

Thing is, there's no filter for this kind of online pollution on social media -- unless you want to see your FB friend list (or Twitter "followees") dwindle down to... maybe 30? 20? 5? But if that's the case, why would you still be on Facebook? What purpose would a Twitter account serve then? There are other digital ways of keeping in touch with the people who have a knack for spreading the love and cleaning up the mess made by others without spewing out their own dirt in the process.

The great thing is that one always has a choice on how much to participate in the online world. And that's just what I've been trying to figure out myself. One can always say -- with a tinge of doubt somewhere in there -- "I need to be on Facebook" and for vital reasons. But one can also sometimes fall into thinking that his/her presence in social media is somewhat indispensable, or that keeping away from the wired means of sharing information or drowning evil in an abundance of good -- as St. Josemaria put it -- means one isn't doing his/her part in putting Christ at the summit of all human activity.

There are trade-offs, and -- just like in other aspects of life, be it field of study, this job or that job, parenting style, and the "little" day-to-day decisions -- what will probably determine the choice are one's priorities.

Decisions, decisions. Choice -- the buzzword in some circles for many years now. I'm grateful for choices and for the fact that we in this day and age have the benefit of having more of them. But really, having so many options to choose from can sometimes be confusing. One thing's for sure -- this isn't going to be like one of those decision-making moments involving "glass-beads necklace or vintage velvet choker" choices.


* Graphics from Multilingual BPO and Elexu 

The quest for self-mastery of the 'fashionable' kind

Today I got the shock of my life when, upon remembering that I had bought a bottle of Denenes cologne (that brand totally big in the '80s), I scanned the receipt to see how much it cost. Rarely do I make a purchase without first checking the price tag; this time, though, I was making my way around the toiletries section of a department store, looking for some everyday cologne to splash on every few hours or so just to get some reprieve from the summer heat. My last resort was Johnson's Baby Cologne, that which every other girl uses. Nothing wrong with that, but I didn't feel like smelling like every other girl.

So along with about five different scents of Johnson's cologne were other little (and mid-size) bottles of your typical inexpensive splash-on colognes whose scent would be gone probably in an hour or so. Baby Bench and some other brands I can't recall (Baby's Breath and Baby's Giggles weren't part of the lot, though) were in there. Then in between the bottles I saw Denenes, and I was instantly transported back to decades ago. Funny how a scent can have that ability to awaken in one images and even sentiments from another era.

I opened the cap -- it still smelled the same. Oooh, I'd choose this over Johnson's and Baby Bench any day! And that's what I did, chucking the 125ml bottle in the cart that already carried some other items.

Since I assumed that being in the inexpensive section meant being of the same price range, imagine my shock (okay, so it wasn't really shock, but I was motionless for a few moments later at home when I realized that the wee bottle of the big-in-the-'80s fragrance cost me P179). I mean, it's a European brand and all, but hey, if I ran a full marathon at the height of summer, I would probably use up the entire bottle if I splashed on some fragrance before I started running, midway through the run (you'll never know how olfactory stimulation can boost a wannabe-runner on the verge of giving up!), and after crossing the finish line (anytime is a good time to smell nice, especially the times when one is bound to sweat buckets amid the smog in Manila on a summer day). And did I mention it's a small bottle? All 125ml of it?

Nevertheless, I have taken a whiff of the cologne about 10 times already since buying it six hours ago. It is heavenly. And so reminiscent of simpler days. So, I shall forget the shocker P179 price tag and charge it to experience. The lesson remains: never assume the price -- always check the price tag before making a purchase.

Now that photo up there doesn't seem to go well with what I had just related, the latter being all about a P179-bottle of gone-in-an-hour cologne. Hardly opulence, whereas the image above spells sheer luxury. Well, as I had told Petrufied a while back, acquiring fashionable non-essentials can have such a strong pull on some of us (me, to name one), and it's to such people that images like the one above would appeal the most. It's amazing how contentment in a simple life -- one focused on doing good, being faithful to one's calling as an ordinary citizen, and basically making one's way through life while working to know more about the Author of Life -- can be thrown into a whirl, albeit temporarily, by the most superficial things.

Take my case -- several weeks ago, the window display of some French store caught my eye that I ventured further and explored the store. The clothes and bags were interesting, but it was the accessories that threw me off track. They beckoned to me, not because spending money was my obsession (it's not) but because the items looked funky. Some of them were just pretty -- nothing awesome or suggestive of the next "it" accessory that fashion plates will be drooling over -- and would give a plain outfit some punch.

Before I end up launching into a moment-by-moment account of what transpires when an appreciative shopper is contemplating a possible "glamour purchase," let me just say that it takes sheer will power and a sporting spirit to let go of an intensely desired acquisition and to walk out the store. Doing the same when you have enough money with you indicates an even stronger will power and sporting spirit.

In that French store whose name I cannot recall (the label is French and so are the raw materials but the products are manufactured in Portugal, I was told by the salesperson), I admired two bracelets for around five minutes. One had a big silver flower metal adorning a navy blue cotton-like fabric woven like a rope, which could be adjusted according to the wearer's preference and wrist size. I was torn between that and a bunch of thin blue and white elastic bands with little metal nautical symbols like an anchor and a ship's wheel attached to them.

I tried them on. I listened to the salesperson's opinion. I held them up in the mirror. Took them off and walked around the store, admiring the other accessories, before heading back to where the bracelets were. I compared prices. I mentally reviewed my wardrobe. Would it be practical? Should I buy both to suit more of my outfits? Should I buy anything? Do I need it? Would my money be better off being spent on other, more important things?

The moment I decided against making the purchase, frankly I felt better -- relieved even. "Here are more things that I don't need," I remembered a philospher's words when he allegedly found himself surrounded by attractive material goods for sale. And with that, I walked out the store, pleased with my decision and thankful for the divine prompting to set my sights on the essentials of a simple and meaningful life.

About a week after that episode, I found myself walking on the same floor of the mall. Well, what do you know? I came face to face with the French store again. I'm not sure of my reasons for doing it, but I walked in and headed for the spot where the to-buy-or-not-to-buy-contemplation took place. The nautical piece was nowhere in sight (Yes! Someone bought it, thank God!), and there was the rope bracelet hanging from one of the steel bars. It didn't look that appealing to me anymore, though, and that was good. However, I could still feel the tug of making it (or some other funky accessory for that matter) mine. What a mystery.

Dealing with this is probably somewhat like how John Nash eventually dealt with and conquered the imaginary people he could see around him (I learned about his story through A Beautiful Mind) -- he could still see them but he disciplined himself to ignore them. It seems that conquering the urge to buy is like that, too. You just learn not to pay attention to it.

As I told Petrufied, saying no to a superfluous purchase always gives me a sense of victory. A picture like the one above -- soft, fluffy collar, eye-candy shade of blue with white, glimmering cuff and all -- will just simply have to be admired. To acquire such luxury is... well, out of the picture.

Are adults there to adulterate?

I would certainly think not. But sometimes I can't help but feel that adults are responsible for corrupting that which is innocent. Who else can be held responsible for treating children as if their childhood were a stage to be skipped? A child--unless introduced to grown-up things too early--naturally tends to be child-like. Would a little girl flash a come-hither look or gyrate like a burlesque dancer if she weren't exposed to such concepts in the first place?





So, why are such things happening?

10-year-old girl poses seductively for French Vogue

Little girls gone wild: Why daughters are acting too sexy, too soon

French company blasted for marketing 'sexy' underwear for four-year-olds


I thought it would stop at that pole-dancing kit for kids several years ago that was briefly marketed online before being pulled out due to numerous protests ... or the padded bras for toddlers after that which didn't really take off. But it looks like marketers will stop at nothing if the glare of big bucks becomes too hard to resist!

As for that last item above about "kiddie lingerie," I came across something written by a mom who reacted to it. Here's an excerpt:

Instead of talking about if this is right or wrong, how horrible the sexualization and sexploitation of childhood is, how our daughters are being damaged by messages coming at them so early that their ability to be beautiful and sexy will define their worth and that their not-yet developed sexuality will be a performance for others instead of something innate….

Let’s desconstruct what this is really about, because I heard some absurd things when this was discussed:

2. “Saying that a woman wears pretty undergarments because they expect to be undressed for sex, also bad.” And “not always why I wear it… I would say it’s made to make me feel (when properly fitting, of course) feminine, sensual, attractive, etc”.

What I said, for the record, is that the ‘lingerie is gift wrapping for sex’. There are definitely women who like to wear lingerie for the sake of wearing lingerie, sex or no sex. Fancy bras and panties are a perk to being a grown woman. But I think it is safe to say that the majority of people wearing lingerie, the majority of times they wear it, is to be seductive in the boudoir and to be gazed upon. Now we have a children’s version, which makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit. Let’s remember, Victoria’s Secret was created by a man, to make a more comfortable and easy shopping experience for men buying items for their romantic interests. The lingerie market was created and largely exists for sex and seduction, to be gazed at while wearing garments that accentuate the adult body in a sexual manner. Wearing lingerie is about sex or feeling sexy. And none of that has to do with being a five year old.

5. “I don’t think I would have had any idea I was being sexualized, and since my parents would never have let me pose in my underwear in a public forum under any circumstances (and it never would have occurred to me to want to), I don’t think anyone else would have had the opportunity to sexualize me either.” And “If no one involved, including the children, notice it happening, then how is it happening exactly?”

That is the beast of sexualization, isn’t it? Children don’t understand that it is happening to them. How would they? That doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. If I have a pot boiling on the stove and I leave the room as it boils over, I may not see it happening, but I still have a mess to clean up. Sexualization doesn’t have to take place in public, and sexualization is not the same as sexual abuse.

6. “I think saying ‘my daughter wants to be like me and she may by any means she chooses EXCEPT the things I do because they make me feel pretty’ is…bizarre. Girls are allowed to want to be attractive.”

I think all living creatures are looking for acceptance, and a part of that comes from being found attractive. But in girlhood, that shouldn’t come from being sexy. Trying on Mommy’s dresses and make-up and painting toes is one thing – both totally normal and age appropriate, while keeping in check the focus and emphasis on “being pretty”. Trying on mini, child version of the type of lingerie Mommy would wear to seduce Daddy while away on an anniversary weekend? Not okay. Disgusting, really.

Playing with hairstyles and clips and updo’s – totally normal and age appropriate. Sitting at a photoshoot getting a Brigette Bardo bombshell updo to model lingerie made for kids? Are ya kidding me? Not. Okay.

There are some things adults do because they are adults that have no place in childhood.
It is all about allowing our children to be children, and not rushing them in sexuality and adulthood. It is about seeing the value in our girls enjoying and thriving in girlhood. If we do that, we’ll be raising a great bunch of young women.

Couldn't add anything more to that!

The search is on

Remember this? It's one of the many commercials that debuted during last year's Superbowl:





Charming huh? Well, I recently learned that there are several equally inventive but simple ads in the series. Such as this one, which I really love:




Creativity knows no bounds when it's guided by sound values. And how expensive can such a simple production be? Hardly any cost, and you leave your audience smiling--with a positive brand image in their minds whether or not they're aware of it.

Let's see how the commercials at this year's Superbowl coverage fare...

Are you going with the high-tech flow?

I have often wondered how -- amid all the apparent advantages of growing up in this age of computerized, push-button and automatic everything -- children and teens will learn the art of waiting.

How would one teach his child the virtue of patience when things can be accomplished quickly and easily? Need to find a piece of information? Go look it up in a library. Need to find a book? Head for the card catalogue and look for it. Need to talk with a friend on the phone? Go to the telephone and dial his number.

Want to play a song from an audio cassette tape? Hit fast forward or rewind till you find it (and learn estimating in the process).

Planning a meet-up with friends? Set a time and place (no "bahala na, will text you later" option). Wait if someone is 5, 10 minutes late (no "wru?" option and no re-sending the message 3 minutes later out of impatience when there's no reply).

Looking for entertainment? Create your own games, make your own playthings, use objects around the home and transform them into a bridge, a bahay-bahayan, a fort for the toy soldiers... the options are endless. Use your imagination.

Want to make a "Happy birthday!" or "Welcome home!" streamer? Get some Manila paper, pencils, colored markers, crayons, and use your creativity (no computer-aided printouts).

Want to communicate with people from foreign countries? Write letters by hand, seal the envelope, go to the post office and mail the letters. Then wait at least a month for a reply. Be patient.
The way I see it, there's a lot that today's world has to offer kids, but these kids are somewhat deprived. Of what? Well, unless their parents are pro-active and discerning, they miss out on opportunities to learn and grow in patience. There are invaluable life lessons that cannot be learned from texting messages and spending hours on Facebook.





Check out Baby Magazine's June issue for some insights on all this high-tech gadgetry surrounding our children and (almost) taking over our lifestyle. More about it from Petrufied.

A reminder for these times

"A dead thing goes with the stream;

only a living thing can go against it."

-- G.K. Chesterton

'Men buy with their eyes, women buy with their ears'

That men and women are different in some ways has been established. And personally, I like it that way -- it would be pretty hard for one to complement the other if they were similar in all areas, wouldn't it?

Saw this book review of Re-render the Gender: Why the vast majority of advertising is not connecting with women -- and what we can do about it on the Marketing to Women Online site, and it presents some pretty neat and useful ideas. Marketers! Advertisers! Pay attention!

One of the first things the book points out is that while women control over 80 percent of all purchases, over 70 percent of all advertising is created by men. The book also points to the fact that the judges at creative award shows are overwhelmingly male. (A situation creative director Ruth Lee addresses in why you need women on your creative team.) This often drives creative directors to create advertising designed to appeal to the (male) judges that can win these prestigious, career-advancing awards.

So what can you do to create advertising women like?

My favorite chapter in the book was about the differences between male and female humor. (a subject near and dear to my heart - see male vs. female humor) The book has some great examples of commercials guys thought were hilarious, but bombed with women. As Thomas points out:

Guy humor often has a victim. And for the most part, women don't find that funny.

Full article here

Pushing our kids to the marketing sharks

Several months ago, I was visiting some websites -- the online versions of local monthly magazines. Boy, was I astonished to realize that "pester power" was being pushed explicitly by a publication as something for marketers to take advantage of in order to sell their products. In other words, do everything you can to make kids pester their parents to buy, buy and buy what the little ones ask for. (I checked back at the publication's website -- the "pester power" angle had been taken out)

Bottom line: everything about childhood and childcare is being commercialized to the hilt. I wonder if parents are aware of this or are eating it all up and turning their preschoolers into consumers as well...

Here's some food for thought:

In the past, the major influences in children's lives were their parents, family and playmates - local children also influenced by the adults in their lives.

No matter what these adults' personal value systems, we can assume the vast majority cared about the long-term well-being of the infants they were rearing.

But in our brave new global village, parents and family are being pushed out of the picture.

According to a new Childwise survey, today's children spend up to six hours a day staring at a screen. So market forces increasingly influence their tastes and habits.

And marketing executives don't have children's welfare at heart - they just want to sell more stuff.

Little girls should be outside in the sunshine, laughing with their friends, playing imaginatively with whatever comes to hand - making dens, dressing up in old clothes and scraps of material, choosing the roles they play for themselves.

They shouldn't be glued to a screen, learning how to pester their parents for the latest must-have toy and being groomed for a lifetime of consumption.

Full article at Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood

When emblems nudge you to buy, buy, buy

I'm putting Barbara Curtis' post in its entirety here (including the visual). Barbara blogs at Mommy Life.

Consumer-proof your teens

Someone's out to get your kids - and they mean business. A special PBS Frontline report named them "The Merchants of Cool" in their in-depth look at the aggressive marketing used to control how American teens spend their money.

At 33 million strong, today's generation of American teens represents the "hottest" consumer demographic ever, with far more spending power than their Boomer parents had - last year topping $100 billion.

If you missed "The Merchants of Cool," you can catch the complete 53-minute show here, along with a host of other chilling insights into how the media and big corporations target our teens by encouraging and selling to the weakest parts of their character.

Okay, so what's a parent - who needs more than a slingshot to battle the giants - to do?

You can counter the pressure of consumerism by helping your teens understand how susceptible we all are to advertising. Take product placement, for instance (type those two words in google and you'll find a heap of information). Product placement took off in 1982 when the movie E.T. portrayed the irresistible little alien following a trail of Reese's Pieces. Sales for the candy shot up immediately.

Now it's a rare film that doesn't add cash to its coffers with product placement contracts for everything from Huggies diapers to Starbucks coffee to DeLorean dream cars. Rates are structured depending on how the product appears. A can of Coke sitting on a table might cost the Coca Cola Company a certain amount, but if Tom Cruise picks it up and opens it, it costs a whole lot more. And if he actually brings it to his lips - well, you can imagine!

The more our kids know about the inner workings of the advertising world, the less susceptible they will be to such subliminal manipulation.

Here's a family discussion starter:

When it comes to TV: What is the product being sold? Who is the customer?

Your teen probably thinks as she watches TV that she's the customer, and that the ads she watches display the products being sold.

Not so! For television networks, the customers they serve are the advertisers. The product being sold is the viewer.

That's why the cost for a commercial can vary from $19 for a 30 second daytime spot on a local cable channel to $2,000,000. for the same amount of time during the Super Bowl, which attracts the largest television audience every year. The price paid by customer/advertiser is based on the number of viewers during that time slot - the same way we buy meat by the pound.

Encourage your kids to look at commercials with a critical eye, identifying what factors underlie the message: guilt, greed, manipulation, fear, flattery, status-seeking

And one final thought: Teens cannot learn to control their impulses for more, more, more if we say yes, yes, yes. Even if you have the money -or borrowing power - to buy your child everything he wants, it's really not the loving thing to do.

[From MommyLife archives September 20, 2005. Since I began blogging, I have logged over 3000 entries here. To find more any subject, please click Categories in the header.]

Love,

More words would be superfluous

The message is clear enough.