Commercialism

What Money Can't Buy: The Skyboxification of American Life

Michael Sandel | Posted 04.20.2012

Read More: Greed, Michael Sandel, Markets, Income Inequality, Commerce, American Greed, Commercialism, Consumption, Inequality, Politics News
Michael Sandel

At a time of rising inequality, the marketization of everything means that people of affluence and people of modest means lead increasingly separate lives. You might call it the skyboxification of American life. It's not good for democracy, nor is it a satisfying way to live.

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Corporate Profits or Healthy Babies?

Robert Weissman | Posted 04.13.2012

Read More: Nutrition, Health, Corporate Greed, Marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Childhood Nutrition, Commercialism, Parenting, World Health Organization, Culture News
Robert Weissman

American society is not sufficiently supportive of breastfeeding, and the everyday realities of many new mothers' lives make exclusive breastfeeding very challenging.

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How Big Is Too Big?

Rachel Kane | Posted 05.01.2012

Read More: Forever 21, Consumerism, Forever 21 Stores, Commercialism, Retail Fashion, Style News
Rachel Kane

Does packing such a large space with so much merchandise serve to tarnish the brand or is Forever 21 just giving shoppers what they want?

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The Day of Commercial Love

Misha Lyuve | Posted 04.15.2012

Read More: Valentines Day, Valentine's Day, Commercials, Commercialism, Love, Commercial Love, Culture News
Misha Lyuve

Not sure whether Valentine's Day originated with much meaning in the first place, but it has definitely turned into a holiday of commercial love, sprinkled with heart-shaped candies, plastic teddy bears and silk roses -- doesn't all this just make you wanna throw up?

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Commercialized Sexualization and the Option to Opt Out

Susan Linn | Posted 10.25.2011

Read More: Sexualization, Commercialism, Children, Gender, Parents News
Susan Linn

The commercialized sexualization that normalizes turning toddlers into teenagers harms children's health and well-being.

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Synonymous With Entertainment: Branded Content and Why it Works

Mia R. Benenate | Posted 10.24.2011

Read More: Tiesto, Television, Branded Entertainment, Proctor & Gamble, Term of Art, Soap Operas, Gas Station Tv, Advertising, The LeBrons, Resonance Interactive, Bmw, Documentary, Believe Entertainment Group, Commercialism, Media, Film, Levi Strauss, Business News
Mia R. Benenate

"Branding" entertainment allows a company to target its audience and give a specific message, often imbedded within the programming in original and interesting ways.

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Commercializing the Public Good

Mark Rosenman | Posted 08.08.2011

Read More: Nonprofits, Commercialism, Charity, Social Impact Bond, Capitalism, Business News
Mark Rosenman

We need a society in which our government and our people embrace responsibility for the common good and in which altruism and philanthropy are more a motivation in supporting charitable activity than in the profit-seeking greed of capital markets.

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The Danger of Industrial Optimism: The Challenger Syndrome

Terry Newell | Posted 07.23.2011

Read More: Politics, Manufacturing, Science, Environmental, Commercialism, Safety, Fracking, Challenger, Green News
Terry Newell

We must prove something is unsafe, that it will damage human health or the environment, before we can stop it. For the Challenger crew, that was tragic. For us as a nation, it could be catastrophic.

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John Dunsworth of Trailer Park Boys on Liquor and Politics

Ben Evans | Posted 05.31.2011

Read More: John Dunsworth, Jim Lahey, Trailer Park Boys, Fogged Clarity, Cbc, American Exceptionalism, Jim Lahey Interview, Political Rhetoric, Commercialism, Entertainment News
Ben Evans

These are some truly choice answers taken from an audio interview I recently did with Canadian actor John Dunsworth, who played Jim Lahey in the famed Trailer Park Boys TV/movie franchise.

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'Tis The Season for Obligatory Giving

Laurenne Sala | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Bad Gifts, Generic Gifts, Three Wise Men, Myrrh, Jesus, Christmas Gifts, Christmas, Frankincense, Re-Gifting, Commercialism, Obligation, Holiday Gifts, Christmas 2010, Comedy News
Laurenne Sala

My boyfriend once gave me a watch for Christmas. I broke up with him. I hate watches. Boyfriends are supposed to know if their girlfriends are scared of time.

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What's This Year's Thanksgiving Message?

Danny Groner | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Newspapers, Xenophobia, Holiday, Thanksgiving, Airport Security, Travel, Commercialism, Tolerance, Air Travel, Privacy, USA Today, National Security, Health, Black Friday, Muslims, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Tsa Patdowns, Diversity, Patdowns, Food, Thanksgiving 2010, Tsa, Media News
Danny Groner

It might appear a bit jarring to some to be engaged in such a furious debate over the controversial airport patdowns at a time intended for celebration. Does this represent the state of our country today?

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Mythology, Media and the Future of Hinduism

Vamsee Juluri | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Hinduism, Colonialism, Mythology, The Future, Hillary Clinton, Commercialism, Gandhi, Hindu Gods, Religion News
Vamsee Juluri

Hindu myths have survived much over the centuries. In the present day, mythology may not seem overtly in danger of extinction, but it will have to be thought through carefully to remain as vibrant and vital as it has been.

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Valentines Day -- What Would You Think About Without Marketing?

Dave Johnson | Posted 11.17.2011

Read More: Propaganda, Marketing, Commercialism, Healthy Living News
Dave Johnson

It's Valentines Day. Did you buy a card, candy or flowers? It's just marketing. Have you ever wondered what you would think about if your whole li...

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Back off, Santa!

Fortune's Stanley Bing | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Christmas, Santa Claus, Thanksgiving, Commercialism, Materialism, Marketing in Your Face, Black Friday, Business News
<i>Fortune</i>'s Stanley Bing

I was riding in a taxi the other day. The driver had the radio on. I don't like to tell drivers who have their radios on to turn them off. First, if i...

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Veterans Day: Not for Sale

Ruth Stonesifer | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Iraq Veterans, Veterans Affairs, Retail Sales, Veterans Day Sales, Veterans Day, Commercialism, Veterans, Politics News
Ruth Stonesifer

Somewhere along the way since WWII, America's retailers, not to mention the majority of our country's citizenry, lost their bearings and Veterans Day became just another commercial opportunity.

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ReThink Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas -- the True Spirit of Christmas, Free of Charge

Jonathan Kim | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Charlie Brown, American Consumerism, Materialism, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas, Charles Schulz, Rethink Reviews, Commercialism, Jonathan Kim, Entertainment News
Jonathan Kim

A video review of the 1965 classic film, which is streaming for free on Hulu through the end of 2009.

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Why Michael Jackson's Death is Heartbreaking for me... Finally

Cynthia Boaz | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Michael Jackson, Consumerism, Entertainment, American Culture, Commercialism, Music, Spirituality, Celebrities, Entertainment News
Cynthia Boaz

The Michael Jackson we wanted was an ideal. He was lonely, so we exploited it. He was kind, so we twisted it. He was brilliant, so we marginalized it. We were like bullies on the playground.

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"Twilight Barbie" dolls - Commercialism Knows No Bounds

Pop Crunch | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Twilight, Commercialism, Twilight Barbie Dollrs, Home News

The star-crossed lovers of Twilight have been turned into Barbie dolls. The Bella Swan Barbie doll is wearing her trademark jeans, sneaks and gray ...

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Wal-Mart Stampede: And So This is Christmas

Jeannie Ralston | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Christmas, Financial Crisis, Commercialism, Retail Sales, Materialism, Shopping, Black Friday, Wal-Mart Stampede, Style News
Jeannie Ralston

When I told my husband about the worker trampled by frenzied Wal-Mart shoppers on Friday morning, he thought it was a joke.

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The Commercial Games: How Commercialism is Overrunning the Olympics and Why It Matters

Robert Weissman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Junk Food, Nike, Sudan, Olympics, Speedo Lzr Racer, Commercialism, Adidas, Sweatshops, Business News
Robert Weissman

Sports, of course, remain centerstage, but commercialism has overwhelmed whatever other values the Olympics hope to embody.

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