it is fascinating to read Sigmund Freud's work firsthand. to see his words and to wonder about his thoughts as he wrote them. the ideas of the unconscious, ego, and psychoanalysis are so commonly used that one tends to forget that about a century ago, they were unknown.
i enjoyed reading about the dream-work. understanding what lies beneath the surface of my dreams has caused me many a moment of wonder this week. like...why did i dream that i was trying to ride uphill on my bike while barely moving my legs? i'm guessing it's my subconscious wish that riding bikes uphill would be easier! or...why did i dream that one of our new paramedics was tending to my broken arm? i'm guessing that one is foreshadowing the likelihood of more broken bones (i'm a bit klutzy!), and that jamey was the last person i saw as i left work that day.
so what does it all mean?
a lot more goes on in our subconscious than i ever realized! i can see how subliminal advertising could work (in theory), and why the public outrage was so extreme when Vicary's "study" was released. surely mind control is something that is just in fiction? i do have my doubts our ability to be truly manipulated, unless we have completely closed our minds. to use freud's ideas, i think that the superego is patrolling our sub-conscious mind, looking for opportunities to defend our boundaries. i think of that being similar to the conscience, or as i think in my spiritual life, the Holy Spirit, and the way that we are guarded by that inner voice saying that something is amiss.
this week, now that i have been on the alert for subliminal messages entering my brain, i have noticed a lot of product placement in tv shows. i don't know when the last time was that i watched a show that didn't feature a prominent display of a label, such as GMC or Pepsi.
it made me think - i suppose that product placement isn't subliminal because my conscious mind is processing what I am seeing? or is it, because i'm seeing it as a part of a bigger picture that i am trying to put together? i think not, because in the end, they're not telling me to buy a GMC directly, they are using the power of suggestion to cause me to think about GMC in general, while I am enjoying my show.
either way i slice it, i don't feel subliminally manipulated, though, because seeing a thousand Pepsi ads doesn't make me like it more than Coke, and i wouldn't trade my BMW for all of the GMC vehicles on TV!
just in case i thought i could somehow escape being trapped by branding... ;)
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you noted product placement in your blog post. Do you think that the implied product/brand preference by the characterize we idolize in the shows influences our decisions and choices in any manner?
Considering Lacan's mirroring concept, the actors and products become signs we would reflect in our own lives. Do you think that perhaps you've seen more GM product placements (and ads generally) than BMW? Or, perhaps GM's marketing strategy just resonates with your personal ideals or image of your world...?
I don't have an answer personally, just interested in how others see all this :)
Cheers!
HLW