A study of the essay "Consuming Kids"

Thèmes abordés

Consuming society, companies, children, marketers, advertizing, luring

Résumé du document

This text is an extract from the essay "Consuming Kids" written in 2004 by Susan Linn. It deals with the consuming society in the United States of America, and more precisely the false needs created for the children. They are real targets for the commercial companies that manipulate them by luring them, and that's what the author denounces it through the text.
How does the author show that the consuming society is a danger for children, hindering the parents' role as educators?

In the first part, I will attempt to show that the consuming society is creating false needs and attracts children by advertisements, and then I will prove that this situation is disturbing for their parents who are finding it difficult to play their role.

Extraits

[...] It lures them. l.20-23: recently sat with a group of elementary school kids who all told me that commercials do not tell the truth, yet when asked, they all had strong opinions about which was the brand of sneaker. Their opinion were based on ( ) what they'd seen on TV and in magazine ads.” =it looks like commercials try hard to manipulate children's opinion as if they were there targets as consumers. They control their judgment about “what's good for them” (l.16) II) Parent's reaction -Their role in contradiction with companies' goal =educate their children l.7 like all American parents, am held responsible for the behavior of my child and for safeguarding her future” =Being models for them as they look up to adults to build their character. [...]

[...] A comment on the essay Consuming Kids called “Targets” This text is an extract from the essay Consuming Kids called “Targets” and written in 2004 by Susan Linn. It deals with the consuming society in the United States of America, and more precisely the false needs created by it for the children. Those ones are real targets for the commercial companies that manipulate them by luring them, and that's what the author denounces through the text. How does the author show that consuming society is a danger for children, hindering the parents' role of educators? [...]

[...] l.5 “Safeguarding her future” = commercials have a real influence in the long term, for the author's opinion. =She means that their lives are modified because of that. Their desire is bolstered and finally it may make think children they have to consume to be happy. =They are far from the truth and it's not good for their stability in order to become adults. In this extract, psychologist Susan Linn takes a comprehensive and unsparing look at the demographic advertisers call "the kid market”, showing that they are the new “targets” of companies. [...]

[...] danger for the whole new generation of the society l.43-45 impact of corporate marketing on children's lives is breathtaking and is expanding around the world virtually unchecked” =While parents busily try to set limits at home, marketing executives work day and night to undermine their efforts with irresistible messages. l.26 “Today's children are assaulted by advertising everywhere” It's a reality: consuming society intrudes in children's lives and it affects their tastes and personalities. l.30-32 average child sees about 40,000 commercials a year on television alone.” =Quoting a high and shocking number, the author succeed in convincing the reader that consumption not good for them”(l.3). It appeals to the reader's conscience and emotion. [...]

[...] Children are now the focus of a marketing maelstrom, targets for everything from minivans to M&M counting books. All aspects of children's lives—their health, education, creativity, and values—are at risk of being compromised by their status in the marketplace. Interweaving real-life stories of marketing to children, child development theory, the latest research, this text reveals the magnitude of this problem and shows the inability of parents against them. But finally, is it a real danger in long term? Don't children understand that marketing create false needs when they grow up, as marketing is said to be a sector of activity in crisis because of society that is not as gullible as it used to be in the beginning of massive consumption? [...]