Do Not Let the Media Determine Your Lifestyle

(Originally published at http://afrodaddy.com)

“Advertising is the driver of the Corporate Machine. Our dollars are the fuel.”

When people talk about “the media” they are really talking about large Media Corporations (think Viacom, Fox News) that use 20 minutes of every hour on advertising in an attempt to sway public opinion to buy one or more products. The mega-corporations who want their products bought (think McDonalds, Walmart,etc.) pay the media corporations billions to advertise their products to you. You as the consumer are bombarded with these ad messages that manipulate the mind and damage the spirit.

“You’re fat you need to be skinny like me”

“You’re hungry, buy my juicy hamburger”

“You’re bored, buy my new toys”

“You’re ugly, buy my makeup”

Proctor & Gamble research found that 71% of black women feel they're portrayed worse than other women in media and advertising. Despite that, they spend on average three times more than the general market on beauty products.

Even though our children have hundreds of toys we still buy new ones every year thanks in large part to the programming of the media. We all know an apple will satisfy our hunger, but the endless stream of fast food commercials compels people to go to Burger King like zombies go to the graveyard.

When was the last time you saw a commercial to go the store to buy a big, juicy bag of apples? Burger King has commercials for “apple fries”. When was the last time you saw a commercial for doing natural exercises? There are thousands of commercials to buy the butt blaster, and the ab smasher and the thigh sucker. Why is this the case? There is no money for the corporation if you eat natural food, do natural exercises and heal yourself holistically. These natural methods are the best thing for you, but the corporations don’t want you to them because that means you’re not giving them your money.

I am not advocating not buying any commercial products. We all need some things. I am also not suggesting you boycott Walmart (but I won’t be hurt if you do). What I am advocating is making your own informed decision about what to buy and who to buy it from.

The mega-corporation plan is simple: spend more money on advertising, kill the competing smaller stores, take their customers, and be the only game in town. "Can you say Walmart?" Capitalism is great and I endorse the system, but if you want mom-and-pop stores, freedom of choice, and some money in your pocket in addition to shopping at Walmart and Amazon remember to also buy local, buy small, and buy Black.