#2: Out Smarting The Advertising Media

Emily Nolen

Mr. Benton

English 102

August 22, 2012

Media is all around us. You can't walk out side with out seeing some type of advertisement persuading you to think a certain way or in order to make a purchase.  Growing up in the interactive media generation, I felt much like Rushkoff in that I am immune to the trickery of advertisement and psychology. Now I see that the more guarded we are the more susceptible to the trickery. For example, when Rushkoff talks about the floor plans for department stores and shopping malls. I have found myself circling stores, too stubborn to ask for help, and the mall looking for the cash register. While I am on my embarrassed search to pay for my single item, I instead find myself picking up additional items! The psychologist trickery worked.

Rushkoff shows us in the end of his article that hidden persuasions are every where! He was persuading us even as we read the article. People must be aware at all times of what they are seeing, hearing, and reading because all these channels of communication have a message. Think critically about all the ways in which the message can be interpreted and decide how you are being affected by the message.

Also, you must be careful about what you put out for the public to see, because your message can be interpreted or used in multiple ways. In Rushkoff’s case, he put out information about how to defy the trickery of advertisement in the media, and his own information was used to produce new forms of advertisement that the new interactive audience would not see through.

Everyone must be thinking critically about what they are told to believe no matter what form of media the message is sent. Advertisement and media is constantly evolving with every effort to  evade their trickery. The only way to be sure you are making your own decisions is to listen to your instincts and think critically!