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04/10/2009
Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
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Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood [Trailer]
CCFC members all over the country are organizing local screenings of Consuming Kids. A screening is the perfect way to raise awarenss about the commercialization of childhood and to connect with other local parents and activists. To find out how you can host or attend a screening, please visit
12:41 Posted by soci | Permalink | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0) | Email this
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I think it is important to teach kids how markets and capitalism works... and not rely on the public education system to do it, as the public education system (run top down by govt bureaucrats) already exposes children to too many bad and wrong ideas.
Spending money and buying stuff ... especially useless crap which has a short range-of-the-moment utility consumes capital. There is nothing with buying stuff, so long s one is productive enough to generate the means to afford to buy stuff instead of profligate spending and drawing down on one's capital.
However thanks to the lousy public education system, and the political systems which place the fate of children more in the hands of the state than allowing parents to be the ones SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for bringing up their kids, many kids today get their values from the media, culture and simply stupid "role models" like pop and movie stars. It is no wonder that kids want the latest Wii, iPod, or whatever hip, overpriced gizmo happens to be "membership" to the "collective of non-individual idiots" out there -- media zombies and true believers of every word emanating from the lips of corporate or state "authority".
Parents need to seize back their power (of authority) and unilaterally decide what their children are exposed to or what products they can have, and under what circumstances they can have them.
There is nothing wrong with commercialization or consumption -- we all need to consume to live or at some point, to have some meaning of life. Imagine living in a world without gizmos, digital content, nice clothes, medical tech, clean water etc... who would want that... except perhaps for commie luddites or people who are simply jealous.
I would rather see kids t some sort of a "balance". Who wants to see kids in rags or shitty shoes without their digital gizmos? As long as they or their parents don't blow all their dough -- and the majority don't -- on these trinkets, what is the harm? What is the problem with a company earning revenue from selling children something of value?
Get real folks. Kids are consumers. Unless our market economy and productive capacity collapses, the wealthier societies become the more the kids will be able to afford stuff. Don't believe the economic reality? Look at poor societies and rich societies... poor societies kids are in rags and scavenging. In rich societies kids have PSPs, wear expensive sneakers and eat Hagen Daas.
Which society would you prefer?
Posted by: Matilah_Singapura | 07/10/2009