<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Deactivated cylinders]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Icelander http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/ Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:43:44 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/1 Blacklisted

I've been blacklisted from GM's Fastlane and FYI blogs for pointing these things out.

I take it as a compliment.

]]> Blacklisted

I've been blacklisted from GM's Fastlane and FYI blogs for pointing these things out.

I take it as a compliment.

]]> Comment #2 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/ Fri, 09 Jun 2006 00:49:10 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/2 That's funny

This is a real downside to blogs. They can be used to mine for postive feedback, filtering out critique. I visited a blog the other day where a guy had actually written "hear no evil" software that checked for critical commnets. For example, the site was about his "cool" house (gouged out of a forest). If you used the words "not cool" in the title of your post, it was all over and you were automatically blocked for good. Maybe GM should write a program like that. Better yet, just write one that generates positive comments and emails them to the blog.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> That's funny

This is a real downside to blogs. They can be used to mine for postive feedback, filtering out critique. I visited a blog the other day where a guy had actually written "hear no evil" software that checked for critical commnets. For example, the site was about his "cool" house (gouged out of a forest). If you used the words "not cool" in the title of your post, it was all over and you were automatically blocked for good. Maybe GM should write a program like that. Better yet, just write one that generates positive comments and emails them to the blog.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Comment #3 by atreyger http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/ Fri, 09 Jun 2006 02:23:44 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/3 saw a commercial last night

Had a big GM (i think) truck rolling consequently through a construction site, 'Panama canal' dig, large sport complex construction, all that jazz. At the end, the narrator said: "While you may not be the person who works on these (or not tough enough or something), this truck could." Edit to an average-looking guy with a child standing by him looking at it as if it were a movie screen.

Umm, why the hell would he want to spend a ton of money in order to have a truck that he won't use? To make him LOOK manly? How pathetic do the ad people think that the average viewers are? Or are the viewers pathetic enough to actually buy into the entire idea? Or when did the size of your truck start to make up for a lack of size down there? Or a complete lack of muscles? Why not buy a sports car instead, those are definitely bigger chick magnets, or if married why do any of this? Psychologists definitely did a good job of permeating the ad space to work on human insecurities.

]]> saw a commercial last night

Had a big GM (i think) truck rolling consequently through a construction site, 'Panama canal' dig, large sport complex construction, all that jazz. At the end, the narrator said: "While you may not be the person who works on these (or not tough enough or something), this truck could." Edit to an average-looking guy with a child standing by him looking at it as if it were a movie screen.

Umm, why the hell would he want to spend a ton of money in order to have a truck that he won't use? To make him LOOK manly? How pathetic do the ad people think that the average viewers are? Or are the viewers pathetic enough to actually buy into the entire idea? Or when did the size of your truck start to make up for a lack of size down there? Or a complete lack of muscles? Why not buy a sports car instead, those are definitely bigger chick magnets, or if married why do any of this? Psychologists definitely did a good job of permeating the ad space to work on human insecurities.

]]> Comment #4 by bookerly http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/ Sat, 10 Jun 2006 11:16:36 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/4 When you see ads using "manliness"

   You should (if male) immediately fire off a letter to the company and rage at them "How dare you suggest I am not manly if I don't buy your product.  If your product is so poor that you have to resort to this kind of cheap pyschological manipulation to sell it, then I don't want anything to do with your product or your company.  Good day."

   If enough men did this (women might do the same thing, replacing the first sentence with "How dare you suggest my husband/boyfriend (whatever) is not manly if he doesn't buy your product"), then perhaps we would begin to see the end of this kind of advertising on television.

   Instead of trying to emulate this, we should be seeking to end it.  It is not only advertising, but the creation of "values" that serve only the god of consumption.  We need to change our cultural values, and these ads are the enemy.

Patrick

]]> When you see ads using "manliness"

   You should (if male) immediately fire off a letter to the company and rage at them "How dare you suggest I am not manly if I don't buy your product.  If your product is so poor that you have to resort to this kind of cheap pyschological manipulation to sell it, then I don't want anything to do with your product or your company.  Good day."

   If enough men did this (women might do the same thing, replacing the first sentence with "How dare you suggest my husband/boyfriend (whatever) is not manly if he doesn't buy your product"), then perhaps we would begin to see the end of this kind of advertising on television.

   Instead of trying to emulate this, we should be seeking to end it.  It is not only advertising, but the creation of "values" that serve only the god of consumption.  We need to change our cultural values, and these ads are the enemy.

Patrick

]]> Comment #5 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/ Sat, 10 Jun 2006 13:46:11 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/deactivated-cylinders/5 Fight fire with fire

We all get our subliminal clues as to what is cool from our culture. Combing our hair and wearing clean clothes is a sign that we want people to think highly of us. You can't change that behavior. What you can change is what is cool by changing the subliminal clues. Messy hair is cool in a lot of circles. Make biking, small homes, and small cars cool. One way to do that is with ads.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Fight fire with fire

We all get our subliminal clues as to what is cool from our culture. Combing our hair and wearing clean clothes is a sign that we want people to think highly of us. You can't change that behavior. What you can change is what is cool by changing the subliminal clues. Messy hair is cool in a lot of circles. Make biking, small homes, and small cars cool. One way to do that is with ads.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]>