The Effects Of Images

When I drive home to work and school, and even when I go home I am constantly being surrounded by images. In the commercial culture that is America, it is estimated that the average adult is exposed to at least 3,000 commercials a day. This is disturbing because I was vastly unaware of being exposed to so many in my every day life. What is more upsetting is that the basic formula for pitching a product is to convince me that I'm not happy, and that this product will make me happy. Regardless if I want that product or not, that is the messaged being rattled around in my head. There seems to be an over all message that my happiness is in the products at the store. So the question then seems to be not what is the images doing to me, but what is that message doing to me.

Being exposed that often to the fact that I am not complete and that I need something more is eventually going to sink in and become part of who I am. I think that this is already part of the identity of most people, and so looking for something to fill it in would only be natural. Why else would advertising work if there wasn't some truth behind it? People might be unhappy already, but the product won't fulfill. Not permanently anyway. There is a fulfilling joy of getting things. I do not understand it fully, but when I purchase something for myself there is some odd satisfaction that last until I get in the car. This is why I try and constantly live for something larger than myself and avoid commercials when I can, because I know that ultimately I can find more fulfillment in that then in fulfilling myself in the commercial world.