Images And Children

According to a new report by the Pew research center, more than 80% of teenagers in the

United
State are money obsessed and have developed an identity based on what it is that they own, this maybe the first generation that has such an explicit idea of “keeping up with the Jones.”   The advice that was given by the experts suggests what might help the situation is by urging parents to say no when their children want something that they don’t need. However what is not mentioned is how parents can successfully deal with a younger generation that is bombarded with the idea that if you don’t have a stock pile of crap, then you don’t fit into the new idea of what is cool. The attacks come from such titles as 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Trying,” to MTV’s “Cribs.” Both outlets prescribe to the idea that the highest level to reach for in life is consumption. Here is a closer look at these attacks in detail.

 

It would be no great revelation in saying that the TV is the main parenting tool in most households across the country. And it is here that the problems may begin. It is important to acknowledge the images that are shown repeatedly from music videos to commercials. The idea of “bling” for example, in the still developing minds of children creates the negative image of what it means to be child. This ranges from having an imagination free from goods to the classic connection to their care givers. Disney is just as guilty in redefining childhood. It is not quite as explicit as the “bling” phenomena but, is just as damaging.

 

 

The idea of the commercial approach in dealing children   plays on the idea that kids can not discriminate between what their ids want and appealing images that tell the child what he or she should or should not be. This is why Joe the Camel was banned. His cartoon image of being cool, leather jacket, shades and smoking a cigarette received a positive expectance by many children who saw the posters. It is no accident that most companies were spending as much as $1 billion on advertising alone during the 1990s.  Somewhere along the line someone figured out that combining a product with a TV program or movie may work even better.  Remember, most younger children are not able to separate a character from the actor. There is a good reason that different manipulation tools are used against adults. No one over 25 is going to buy sneakers just because Will Smith decided to where same brand in Men In Black 4 for example. But, that is what children’s movies have become, hour and half commercials that will bring new records in sales.

 

In short it should come as no surprise that with all of the attack on this generations senses since they could sit up, that they have come produced consumers who know nothing else.

 

Until next time….

 

http://groundhog.tv/apps/editor/staticplayer.jsp?clip=1173130142581.wmv