[lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns
- From: "Andreas Ramos" <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 10:43:22 -0700
Most of
the world (especially the developing world) are
obsessed with youth. In a lot of the world, once
you turn 30 you enter the realm of the living dead
for the rest of your living dead life.
Is this projection on Irene's part?
From what I saw in Bangalore (www.andreas.com/india.html), there is no youth culture like in
California. Indian culture is middle-age centric, both in age and activities. Everyone wants
to be a married, settled, professional with children. It's no exaggeration to say that many
Indians in their mid-20s are already middle-aged.
However, the US is the only country that I know where youth is obsessively
idealized.
But there is a reason for this. It's not America's youths who create or maintain this. They
are clueless about this. Furthermore, they don't have the power to implement this. Similar
to the discussion about Hollywood's marketing and revenues strategy, youth-centricity is a
marketing method: youths buy a great deal of consumer goods, so create consumer goods for
youths and then praise youths for buying those goods.
"Youth-centricity" is a result of marketing. It is designed and managed by
35-45 year olds.
Why are the weak, frail, and elderly (i.e., those over 28) ignored in the US? Because, quite
simply, they don't buy. Look at demographics correlated to buying. Once they reach 45, they
literally drop off the charts. Don't even waste your marketing money on people over 45. They
don't buy.
(Of course, if the product is for people over 45, then yes, spend on that. Wheelchairs,
oxygen tanks, etc.)
I'm not being reductionist ("it's all marketing"). But these particular issues (movies,
shopping, pop culture, etc.) happen to be the results of marketing. Many people tend to
think that popular culture is created by itself, but it's not. It's created, designed,
planned, and propagated by marketing people.
yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com
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