"Social economist Juliet Schor's new book is Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture. Schor says children as young as 18 months can recognize logos. Marketers capitalize on the influence of young minds on parents' wallets." Listen here (9/4/2004 - 6:56).
Also listen to Kim Masters's NPR piece, For Toddlers, a World Laden with Advertising (7/31/2006 - 8:14), or this series from CBS news, Hard Sell: Marketing to Kids.
Musings
- Compare any two of the pieces above. What essential points do they share? Which one do you most more persuasive?
- Describe a personal anecdote from your own life, as parent, child, student, or educator, that shows the power of advertising or shopping more generally on the lives of children.
- Nearly everything about the Amish is fascinating, nothing more so than the undeniable visual beauty of their world, at least as captured in Bill Coleman's photographs. What do you feel makes Coleman's photographs of Amish children especially haunting ? Do you think there's connection here between the effect of the photographs and the special nature of the children's stuff?
- Check out the web site for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. What do you find here that may be of use to concerned parents or educators? Check out their links page to find other related sites that might be helpful, and explain why.
