“COMMERCIALISM AS A SOURCE OF STRESS IN FAMILY LIFE”

 SUMMARY OF REMARKS

 BY ENOLA G. AIRD

 DIRECTOR, THE MOTHERHOOD PROJECT

 INSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN VALUES

“PARENTS OR MARKETERS:

WHO WILL RAISE THE CHILDREN?”

1.   MOTHERS AND FATHERS TODAY ARE LOCKED IN AN INTENSE AND INCREASINGLY UNFAIR COMPETITION WITH ADVERTISERS AND MARKETERS.  FROM MORNING UNTIL NIGHT, OUR CHILDREN ARE BOMBARDED WITH A STEADY STREAM OF MARKETING MESSAGES TELLING THEM HOW THEY SHOULD DRESS, WHAT THEY SHOULD EAT, HOW THEY SHOULD BEHAVE, AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE. 

2.   PARENTS ARE LOSING THIS COMPETITION.  THESE MARKETING MESSAGES ARE BACKED WITH OVERWHELMING SCIENTIFIC, FINANCIAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES.  THE EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THIS ONSLAUGHT IS CAUSING PROFOUND HARM TO CHILDREN AND TO FAMILY LIFE.   MARKETERS ARE SCORING GREAT SUCCESSES IN UNDERMINING PARENTAL AUTHORITY AND PERVERTING CHILDREN’S VALUES.   

3.   A MAJORITY OF THESE MESSAGES ARE CAREFULLY CRAFTED TO PROMOTE TENSIONS AND CONFLICTS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND PARENTS, AND TO TEACH CHILDREN VALUES THAT ARE ANTITHETICAL TO THE VALUES THAT MOST MOTHERS AND FATHERS TRY TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN.

4.   THE GOAL FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF ADVERTISERS IS SIMPLE: TO GET TO CHILDREN IN THEIR EARLIEST YEARS TO TRAIN THEM TO  BE LIFELONG CONSUMERS.                      

5.   MUCH MORE THAN JUST A SOURCE OF FAMILY STRESS, THIS IS A DIRECT AFFRONT TO MOTHERS AND FATHERS THAT DEMANDS AGGRESSIVE, CONCERTED ACTION BY PARENTS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND HOLD ADVERTISERS AT BAY.