Our Freedom to Be Emotionally Manipulated
No Consent Needed
As humans, it seems like we can get used to some pretty strange things. So much of our world races past every day without us noticing. But every now and then, something unexpected jolts us back into consciousness. We find ourselves asking questions. Why do we put up with the status quo? Why do we look the other way when other people try to manipulate us in such brazen ways?
I could ask you to guess what recent experience prompted me to write the preceding paragraph. But I’m sure nobody would guess that it was one of the countless dog food commercials aired on TV. The specific brand doesn’t matter because they all use the same tactic.
You love your dog, don’t you? You want your dog to be healthy and happy, don’t you? Then you’d better use our overpriced dog food instead of whatever you’ve been using.
It is so simple and so manipulative. We see these over and over without them registering. We tune them out most of the time. What if we didn’t? What if we applied some of our critical thinking skills instead?
