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I'm specifically talking about children, before they are at the age to comprehend marketing. The prime example is a toddler. I can't think of any exceptions,

I'm specifically talking about children, before they are at the age to comprehend marketing. The prime example is a toddler. I can't think of any exceptions, but any sort of marketing to children seems to be brainwashing. They don't have the ability to resist bright colors, music, and in-group bias. I've done this on my own kids to teach them phonics and numbers. Lucky that there isnt any corporation with the exclusive ability to sell the number 7 or the letter F. At age 2, they all know the phonics.

mym1990 3y ago
This practice is particularly horrendous in the food industry(fast food, cereals, etc...). Kids are the prime target for companies that have no morals, because if you can get the kid to nag their parents, its a great strategy. Companies are also banking that those same kids grow up to be lifelong consumers, and then pass that loyalty down to their own children. Its pretty messed up.
toast0 3y ago
> Lucky that there isnt any corporation with the exclusive ability to sell the number 7 or the letter F. I'm pretty sure there are. Those letters and numbers were sponsoring shows, and they had to get the money for that somewhere, presumably their corporate overlords.
simonh 3y ago
That's why I mentioned parental responsibility. It's the parent's house and they choose where they take their children outside it.
- hospitalJail 3y ago
  What about the uneducated parents or brainwashed who let their kids watch disney? It sounds like we are willing to sacrifice the lower class and children of brainwashed parents.
  - edanm 3y ago
    I let my kids watch Disney. I don't think I'm uneducated nor brainwashed (but I guess someone brainwashed would say that). So do almost all other parents I know, btw.
  - simonh 3y ago
    Nobody here us saying that actual predatory practices are ok. I’m certainly not advocating for law of the jungle. But within reasonable legal and regulatory limits I don’t see how crating cute character and fun entertainment is a harm. I’m up for effective fair and reasonable regulation, but banning all marketing to children is bonkers. No children’s books, cartoons, TV shows or movies at all? How do you even define marketing to children objectively? It’s absurd. Unfortunately it is a fact there are people that find it hard to function in a sophisticated technological society. McNamara’s Morons, while an unfortunate term, is a real issue. That’s why I’m in favour of decently funded effective social services. If people genuinely need help they should be able to get it. I’m basically a capitalist, because I think capitalism embodies essential individual economic freedoms. But all economic systems have failure modes, and I think it’s in everyone’s interests to live in a supportive egalitarian society.

mym1990 3y ago

This practice is particularly horrendous in the food industry(fast food, cereals, etc...). Kids are the prime target for companies that have no morals, because if you can get the kid to nag their parents, its a great strategy. Companies are also banking that those same kids grow up to be lifelong consumers, and then pass that loyalty down to their own children. Its pretty messed up.

toast0 3y ago

> Lucky that there isnt any corporation with the exclusive ability to sell the number 7 or the letter F. I'm pretty sure there are. Those letters and numbers were sponsoring shows, and they had to get the money for that somewhere, presumably their corporate overlords.

simonh 3y ago

That's why I mentioned parental responsibility. It's the parent's house and they choose where they take their children outside it.

hospitalJail 3y ago
What about the uneducated parents or brainwashed who let their kids watch disney? It sounds like we are willing to sacrifice the lower class and children of brainwashed parents.
- edanm 3y ago
  I let my kids watch Disney. I don't think I'm uneducated nor brainwashed (but I guess someone brainwashed would say that). So do almost all other parents I know, btw.
- simonh 3y ago
  Nobody here us saying that actual predatory practices are ok. I’m certainly not advocating for law of the jungle. But within reasonable legal and regulatory limits I don’t see how crating cute character and fun entertainment is a harm. I’m up for effective fair and reasonable regulation, but banning all marketing to children is bonkers. No children’s books, cartoons, TV shows or movies at all? How do you even define marketing to children objectively? It’s absurd. Unfortunately it is a fact there are people that find it hard to function in a sophisticated technological society. McNamara’s Morons, while an unfortunate term, is a real issue. That’s why I’m in favour of decently funded effective social services. If people genuinely need help they should be able to get it. I’m basically a capitalist, because I think capitalism embodies essential individual economic freedoms. But all economic systems have failure modes, and I think it’s in everyone’s interests to live in a supportive egalitarian society.