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To: ld5030 who wrote (16672)	11/3/1999 11:32:00 PM
From: Solid	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

Id- A bit ot. Follow-up to an advertising discussion. >Ever notice that aside from situational or story ads most others are just a succession of non-stop imagery and sound?< The advertisers do this for a reason. The brain, because of its 'wiring' has a reflexive reaction to movement and changing or startling sound. This very literally fires off impulses to other areas of the brain, which have to do with portions of the brain, which control various physiological reactions. These reflex reactions, once triggered lock our radar (our attention) onto the subject of the stimulus. The faster and more varied the images the less likely we are to be able to adapt and move off the stimulus. Yes over time we adapt and so they alter their settings, props, etc. But the reflex is hard for us to bypass, especially the more vulnerable we are to the subject being portrayed. Try to not let your knee jerk when someone taps the quad tendon with a reflex hammer. Not by tensing your muscle, but by telling your leg not to react. Hard to do unless you are dead. And that's only mediated on a spinal cord level, but with higher centers available for input as you suggest in 'free choice.'. There is a method to their technique. The real point is the ad guys (gender neutrality implied) know how to get people to watch. Ever see kids glued to the screen? Remember the days when you'd get up to fix 'eats' then hurry back to the show? Have you noticed now with the 'streaming images' sometimes 10 or more/second, it is literally difficult to break away? If you doubt it test it for yourself. Have your wife or friend call or talk to you or your kids when the commercials are playing, like the Exterra spot. Notice how many times they hold eye contact with you and how many times they break it to catch the image. Sex is another hook into reflexes and hormonal stimulation. In addition, your Coke analogy is a hook into another reflexive, basic need, food. And so it goes. >I don't think neurologists make very good advertisers.< Good, bad or indifferent (not) the ad folk KNOW about neurophysiology. They know that to not understand, as much as possible about the how and why of human desire and motivation, is to enter their playing field ill equipped. What they have learned is that although 'free choice and free will' enter the equation, 'they' can minimize its effects IF they understand how best to undermine it. So why you may like to think you have free choice, you are being 'played' like it or not, by your more animal brains wiring which is being sung to by the ad guys, smartened-up with what they've learned from the neurophysiologists. Which, by the way, they do by taking brains apart both literally and figuratively with a technological plethora of tools, especially computer aided ones. <g> How much free choice do kids have regarding commercials? Ever notice how much garbage is fed them on the 'kids' shows during commercials? They are being programmed into the adult culture to become the next generation of consumers. Unfortunately, the ad guys here take unfair advantage of their lack of maturity and blast them with adult theme and imagery to stimulate adult appetites and the desire to emulate adult behavior. Good for the bottom line. Bummer for our culture, our families and kids childhoods. In ancient Greece, going back a few thousand years, they passed a law. Interesting law too. It said that if an adult was found guilty of trying to sell something to a child it was a breech of the law and the sanctity of childhood innocence. They had a neat, no time off for good behavior punishment too...the death penalty. Fact. Makes one wonder if we really have evolved as far as we think in some areas. On the lighter side, I prefer the humorous commercials myself, but tend to side with eric and watch little TV anymore. Even the shows run now to over stimulation to hook viewers. Good thoughts you shared. Nice chance to dialogue. Your Id5030 makes me think, fondly of 'Forbidden Planet' 1956 with Morbius and the creatures from the id. All the best. S