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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!randvax!edhall
From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Insecurity
Message-ID: <2131@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Nov-84 11:54:55 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2131
Posted: Thu Nov 15 11:54:55 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Nov-84 08:03:07 EST
References: <916@aecom.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
Lines: 22

>     It bothers me that people using this network are blaming Madison Ave. for
> their insecurities. To me it seems like pinning the blame. Singles have felt
> insecure since we came down from the trees, advertising has nothing to do with
> it. You are confusing the cause with the effect.
>                                             Micha B @ AECOM

I don't think it's that simple.  Insecurity is a built-in part of life
(death being the only state of absolute security I know of).  In fact,
I think a certain amount of insecurity is a Good Thing.  It shows that
we are sensitive to our individuality and vulnerability.

However, Madison Ave. works hard at exacerbating existing insecurities
or generating new ones, and then exploiting them by creating an image
that their product relieves that insecurity.  Singles are especially
sensitive to matters of personal appearance, while, say, businesspeople
are more sensitive to social status.  (Obviously these catagories inter-
sect.)  Teams of psychologists work on identifying groups, discovering
their insecurities (or ``needs'') and developing products to fill those
needs.

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall