Consumerism Quote

A strange species we are. We can stand anything God and nature can throw at us save only plenty. If I wanted to destroy a nation, I would give it too much, and I would have it on its knees, miserable, greedy, sick.

-John Steinbeck (1902-1968), Letter in The Washington Post, 28 Jan 60

John Steinbeck makes a great point by pointing a finger directly at the American society. Americans are truly blessed and have so much more than they could ever need. However, the percentage of Americans who claim to be "happy" is declining or remaining the same even though our citizens have more possessions than anyone in the past. Steinbeck proposes that in order to destroy a nation, he would give it too much and in turn, the nation would be so thirsty for more they would do anything to obtain it. Many Americans completely ignore the third world counties that are barely surviving, and continue on with their everyday lives of spending on non-necessary possessions. Maybe Americans need these possessions to be taken from them by someone else but themselves in order to see their reliance and dependence on wealth and how great the consequences they face will be.

McDonald's commercial

Since it would be harder to convince adults to buy fast food, many McDonald's commercials are aimed towards children. The Happy Meal is so irresistible because of the cute, convenient box, the variety choice, and the new toy. In this specific commercial, two girls are having fun eating their Happy Meals together when they hear the sound of a mermaid. They reach in to find their toy, a mermaid. One technique in this commercial is the voice of a child talking instead of an adult. Now, when a younger child is watching it, it's more like a friend talking to them which they're more likely to be able to connect to than an adult authority. Also, the end of the commercial shows the two girls with mermaid tails at the end of their meal. Now, not only can you play with your toy, but you can also look like your toy. McDonald's uses several clever tricks to convince children that McDonald's Happy Meals will be the most rewarding and fun meals.