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I got a bit discombobulated reading this entire thread-but to throw in my 2c- first penny: Psychology is employed in commercial media in everything from the shape of a bottle to the color of the label. Clear sodas ALWAYS have green labels. Dark colas are red or blue. It's product recognition. Sugary cereals are placed no less than 3 feet off the floor of any supermarket (so kids can see and reach them). Ever wonder why every store seems to look like the next? Vendor placement-they pay for their spots on the shelf. Hence, lesser-known brands get shoved toward the back of the store(people rushing in to get a 'few items' see the higher-visibility(read: paid more for space) items.)
second penny: Is this another example of which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are our choices as consumers making certain products(and i include journalism here) more visible, hence those are the first we see and choose? Or have we been so pervaded with selective media and consumerism that all we know is what has been visible to us?
It's not so much mind-control as control of choice, I think. Why can't my car come in yellow?? Why can't I find a larger bag of hotdog rolls? And, if we want those things out of the norm, well, guess what-we get to pay for that as well by getting the car painted yellow and buying more rolls.
I question it all, get pissed and end up settling and that is what the business moguls thrive on. Going against the grain takes effort and some days, effort is not a priority. Perhaps that is what should be examined-why we fall for the things we fall for.
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