Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood (Trailer)

People are very slowly becoming aware that a child isn't a pet, but rather a small person, with her own hopes and motivations, fundamentally similar to that of an adult. One natural and intrinsic aspect of this new awareness includes marketing.

Surely, if anything, this increased empathy towards the most vulnerable members of society should mark a great and long-overdue leap forward, on mankind's otherwise painfully slow trod towards civilization?

empathy? If hijacking the eyes and ears of kids in order to make a buck is empathy I'd hate to know what your version of hostility is!

@PanzerDivisionBOM People are slowly becoming aware that a child isn't a pet??!!!
People have known for 200.000 years that a child is a person, it might have only been since this two centuries that people GOT spoiled "pets" and started treating their kids as such. Bullcrap: Slowly realising they are persons..What do you take humanity for? The idiot consumers they are NOW? We haven't always been that way.

@Pedohuntress:

Citations please.

Yours are very common misconceptions, but misconceptions nonetheless. In truth, the history of human child-rearing is a dark and sordid tale, to which we've only recently begun conceiving the possibility of a happy ending. Like with poverty, child abuse was simply so common that no one thought to question or object to it.

If you're interested, you should have a look at Lloyd deMause's work in the field of psychoanalytical anthropology at psychohistory dotcom.

New products displace older ones continually and this creates a want cycle that can be used to manipulate kids and teens into becoming relentless consumers. The goal is to create perceived obsolescence by continually creating a new "standard" along with the new product in order reinforce it's desirability. The sweet spot for marketing is the 16 to 20-somethings who still use this tween and teen want pattern but have the disposable income to take a run on the hamster wheel.

It is possible to be ethical and market to kids! Its down to the manufacturers to "do the right thing". These are the brands we should be putting pressure on. Unfortunately I think it's impossible to prevent commercialisation of kids unless you turn off the TV, put blinkers on when out of the house and stop them listening to the radio, using the internet or even talking to their friends.
Small steps, getting the right balance and talking to brand owners I believe is the way forward

Welp, I dunno what else you would expect from capitalism. Capitalism and free markets leads exactly to this. Corporatism, advertising, and consumer culture. It's literally the road to fascist communism, where every brand is everywhere. Everything is the same. Everyone wants the same things.

Profit at all cost is counter to the Ideals of Humanity.
If we feed off of each other we destroy the glue that holds us all together.

For the first time in my life, I think I now understand the true meaning of the prayer:

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil...

Its not about hoping God will save you, its about being happy with what you have and not be tempted to always want more.

Honestly, how?