There’s a meme, particularly virulent in educated circles, about how advertising works — how it sways and seduces us, coaxing us gently toward a purchase.
If we (consumers) are swayed by emotional inception, then it seems we’re violating this model of economic rationality. Specifically, H. economicus has fixed preferences or fixed goals — in technical jargon, a fixed “utility function.” These are exogenous, unalterable by anyone — not the actor him- or herself and especially not third parties.
“if ads work that way then the economic model of a rational human – of which no actual instances exist, as i’ve already established – is wrong”
like yeah, the economic model is wrong, we know that.
But the point still stands: external agents can, without our permission, alter the contents of our minds and send us scampering off in service of goals that are not ours.
cultural hegemony and class-based systems of oppression are a real mindfuck, for sure
“if ads work that way then the economic model of a rational human – of which no actual instances exist, as i’ve already established – is wrong”
like yeah, the economic model is wrong, we know that.
cultural hegemony and class-based systems of oppression are a real mindfuck, for sure