Playing on our fears
Edward Bernays nephew of Sigmund Freud is known as the father of Public Relations. Some call this Public Manipulation. His main idea was to persuade people they wanted things which we are not in anyway necessary to their lives. Before his idea we had a desire for luxury and comfort but we strived to get things we needed. One of the mantras of the Advertising Industry became create the problem and then supply the solution. The techniques of psychology play on fears such as ‘not being a good parent’, a fear that somehow they have failed their children if they don’t buy the product. This advertising approach has wrapped personal identity and aspiration around the stuff that we have. This led Will Smith to say ‘too many people have spent money they have not earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like. We have been sold needs and it has changed us. Invite someone to take a closer look at Christ who says fear not and his church.
