Honesty. It lasts longest, according to the Dutch proverb. (Is there a comparable English one? I'm not sure).
In advertising, though, that sentiment is no longer one that is oft adhered to. Advertisers forego honesty in favor of pretty lies, all in order to sell, sell, sell. (And, y'know, possibly sell some more).
It's sad, because when real, honest-to-goodness fair trade products manage to make the market, they are generally still quite a bit more expensive than your regular little-Asian-children-in-cramped-factories-produced goods. The truth of the matter is that the products may be honest, but when it comes down to it, today's society is collectively more worried about wallets (and especially their contents) than about little Asian children.
Sadly, the fact that honest products are more expensive means that people only buy them when they are both conscious of their position in this world and unafraid to spend a penny more.
Anyway, it's far easier to sell products with a nice-sounding if slightly exaggerated pitch than it is to actually pay attention - and money! - to make sure the product does what is says on the tin and is produced under fair working conditions.
It's no wonder, really.
~Levyathan.
Somewhere out there is a company that has an actual medicine for penis enlargement, and it's miserably failing to reach potential customers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's not just the normal products sector that's a bunch of liars, but the medical industry, too. Not kidding when I say quite a few cures have been found for cancer already, but they're all pretty cheap stuff. The medical industry doesn't want it, so they bury it and keep selling their own dangerous, literally sickening treatments, claiming those are the people's best hopes.
If pharmaceutical corporations make money off us being sick, why would they want to cure us? Bluh, go away world.
DeleteI've heard this stuff as well. I think there are even cures for AIDS and there are things that while maybe might not cure cancer, do a much better job fighting it than chemo, but they get blocked because they cannot be used for profit. That is one of the sickest things I know. Whatever happened to the basic human right to live healthily? As for honesty in products, let's not forget the lack of honesty in "honesty". Organic products generally are not much better for you, but are much better for the people selling them. I wouldn't mind it so much I guess if they were honest about that. Everyone thinks that organic food is oh so awesome for you, but there isn't that much of a difference. I am one of the people who would love to buy things that are slightly more expensive, I believe in paying for quality, but right now can not really. I buy all my clothes at good prices though, I don't think many Asian children are suffering for my sake.
Deletetoo bad people want to be lied to
ReplyDeleteAt least now there are some kind of regulations, and you can't outright claim that, say, cigarettes cure hair loss or whatever.
ReplyDelete...although, now that I think about it, their lies probably still are at that level. Nevermind.
Last night I read a poem at an event here in Bakersfield. The opening lines went like this:
ReplyDelete>>> What would you think
If I spoke only truth?
What if you spoke the truth?
What if any of us spoke solely the truth?<<<
Great post & I am grateful to find you today via the #AZchallenge
Julie Jordan Scott
twitter: @juliejordanscot
F is for Frances E.W. Harper