Biting the Hand…

Okay, I have a problem and I admit it. 



It's a problem that sets me at odds with the current mindset of America, as well as my own financial well-being. It's advertising. 
Yep, that ubiquitous, inescapable, lying pulse-beat of capitalism – Advertising. 


If advertising only did what it was originally designed for, to present a product of service of value, I’d have less trouble. But, fact is, almost all advertising is targeted at our unconscious minds, our emotional brains. And those programs that make us all ache to fill a false void by consuming mindlessly, are what is making our society insane.

We are bombarded constantly with words, images, and sounds directed at overriding free will. Most contemporary ads grab hold of our emotions then manipulate them mercilessly to achieve a not-so-hidden agenda. You know: To feed the need for greed.

Consciously, we all know how little truth is contained. But our thinking minds are bypassed. We are helpless to stop the commanding impulses. We get lost in a sea of lies, implanted deep inside. The more difficult it is to recognize and act on truth, the harder it is to live a sane life.

Politicians know this, and sell themselves as products by hitting our fear buttons. We end up with shabby, corrupt, hypocritical leaders, and wonder how it happened. There are now so many lies and scams and spins in our society, that we get overwhelmed. We give up trying to find the even a nub of truth. That's exactly where big business, and their in the pocket politicians, want us. When we’re overwhelmed and confused, the implanted impulses automatically take over. That's how the program works. 
We all know why, don't we? To sell us what we really don't need sp that we feel better about ourselves and our place in the world. Then after we act on the impulse and buy, we feel empty again. Now what? The next impulse takes over, and it's ring around the rosey all over again.

I love my free will. Next to the breath of life, it may be God's greatest gift. While I do everything I can to keep my free will intact, it takes constant vigilance. That, in itself, is exhausting.

Don't get me wrong. I like living in this world, with all its twists, turns, and spins. But I don’t like inviting more unwanted stuff into my already wary head.
 What's a human to do?


Oh well... I'll stay as conscious as I can. ...It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. And yes, I know. Advertising surrounds this very blog. Maybe I need a really big gas-guzzler. Maybe a week in Vegas will make me feel ten years younger. Maybe we really need to elect John McCain to lead a hundred year war. Maybe I really do need to lose those fifteen pounds...

Okay, I'll have another Big Mac... And super-size the drink, please.
 Now, where's that Hummer dealership?


- Arye Michael Bender