I am concerned with the dupability of people in general and one great example of this is how they behave as consumers. Based on my modest research to date, I have no reason to trust most mega corporations to provide products (or even services) that are truly safe and good for the consumer. The Internet is replete with one confirmed story after another of poisons, side effects, malfunctions, adverse effects, product recalls, negligence, and class action lawsuits. From asbestos, to cigarettes, lead in toys, genetically modified foods, and harmful medical treatments—no field of products or services seems to be immune.
It seems, however, that “we” (as a collective) are fairly trusting of the corporations that continue to push these products and services our way. I’ve heard way too many times expressions like this one: “If fluoride were really a poison, they wouldn’t put it in our toothpaste (or in our drinking water).” Never mind the large body of research that shows the ill effects of fluoride on those who ingest it, and never mind the endless histories of governmental and corporate abuses of the masses; “we” would simply rather deny the ugliness than to admit the obvious.
There are various definitions for “consumerism”, and it’s likely that what I have in mind deserves a term of its own. Here’s what I mean when I use the term: The tendency of consumers to surrender themselves to the presumption that producers and providers of consumer goods and services can be trusted generally such that consumer’s own investigation of those goods and services is not necessary. In other words, the consumers believe whatever the producers and providers tell them to believe….even if it is observably false.
One of the key factors in this endemic of consumerism is the simple incuriosity of the typical citizen. A curious person might think to wonder, for example, just how many court cases have been won in favor of gun rights since the National Rifle Association was founded. (That is, is this mega-organization being effective with all the donations it receives?) Or perhaps he might wonder just why it is that with fluoride in practically everyone’s drinking water and toothpaste, we are now advised to see a dentist twice a year, when only recently, the advice was to go once a year. Similarly, a curious person might have noticed and wondered about the profusion of adverse affects mentioned in the disclaimers on pharmaceutical product advertisements on television. Indeed, when a medicine that, say, makes one’s eyelashes grow luxuriously thicker, also may present a risk of bleeding from the ears, of giantism, of the legs falling off, and of sudden death, perhaps it is altogether appropriate to be curious…and even a bit suspicious!
But “we” keep right on buying and trusting. And dying early after years of unnecessary disease and ailments.
Yes, we’ve all probably bought a used car that the salesman told us was really reliable, but that proved to be a “lemon”. Nevertheless, “we” prefer to have a general attitude of trust when it comes to the mega corporations who hawk their wares on TV. We expect them to be exempt from the evils that plague lesser businesses—from greed, negligence, fraud, and such. Not only is this expectation baseless, it is against the body of evidence that can be witnessed through direct observation.
So as for me, I’ll read the labels and the fine print, thank you very much. And I’ll look into what the critics are saying–as we as looking into the rebuttals of the producers and providers. In my opinion, it is more difficult to find a company these days that cares as much about my well being as about their own profits. It falls to me, therefore, to look out for myself.
Jack
