It All Ads Up

I got a great recommendation from a friend of a friend, who got it from her friend.  Yep, a pretty direct and dependable line of information transfer if I ever did see one, and that got me to thinking… and we all know how horrific that can be.

Where exactly do we get our valued factual fodder?  I guess it depends on what we want to know about.  If I wanted a detailed explanation of the condition of my pipes I would either go to a plumber, an organ grinder or a gynecologist.  But even then, do I peruse the internet for guidance?  Check out the BBB for any complaints?  Or do I trust an esteemed friends’ counsel of someone they have heard of or, even better, have had an actual encounter with?  Decisions, decisions…

Advertisers spend millions of dollars to coerce us into a semi-natural state of zombiness to want – need – their product.  If you ever spend an hour watching TV in the evening you will know that almost 30% (yes, it’s true!  Up from 17% in 1977) is dedicated to the latest and greatest stuff you cannot clean, deodorize, sanitize or live without. Although sometimes the ads are more entertaining that the actual show, especially when they announcer spews out all the side effects the miracle drug they are hawking can cause you… makes you wonder if the ailment might not just be better.

So much stimuli and so little “real” information seems to get through to the cognizant, decision making part of the brain, that half the time you must take a leap of faith and hope for the best.  Not exactly words to live by when a tough stain is rearing its ugly self.  Recently, I thought I would throw caution to the wind, succumb to the pressure of the media and pick up a product I saw advertised.  It worked and like a charm.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven with all the stubborn spots disappearing before my eyes – what was said in the ad actually was true.  With my new found excitement, I thought I would share this valuable gem of a miracle cleaner to a friend.  Too late, she already knew of this invention.  What?  And she hadn’t shared her findings with me?  Why was she holding out?  What other secrets does she hold?  Is she really the true friend I thought she was?

We are barraged through messages on TV, radio, billboards, cell phones and pop-ups on our computers.  You can’t open a magazine or newspaper without bombardment of the “can’t live without” mentality.  Gone are the days that we used the products our mom’s swore by and used religiously, no questions asked.  If the merchandise didn’t work, it had to be with the user and not the maker.  We have turned into a society of fickle, instant gratification and want it all (now!) folks that can be easily swayed by a coupon or special offer.  We have no brand loyalty and dare I say, shop for bargains.

I vote go with your gut feeling and consider the source.  For example, don’t go to the hairdresser that the friend recommends when her hair looks like she did a swishy in the toilet bowl.  Don’t go to the personal trainer that looks like he has never been to an exercise class… and probably should have been.  And, don’t ever try anything new, improved or better tasting… unless of course your mom suggests it to you first hand.

Cynthia A. McClelland, curious observer of the obvious with interpretations of the oddities of daily life.  Mother, wife and lover of the furry, resides in the north Lake Tahoe area.

Cynthia A. McClelland © 2003-