The
marketplace of ideas and media is indeed a topic that changes, improves or
downgrades daily. The mass of ideas actually is very overwhelming. People plan
and create the future by letting robots do the job of human beings, which
causes a notably percentage of joblessness. Generally, I see the future lazier
than it is already. For example, years ago people used cows and horses to
harvest their fields; nowadays tractors are used. People did assembly-line work
and filled bottles or candies, but nowadays machines are the replacement. Those
mentioned machines are actually good ideas and wise investments which helps
companies improve by using the constructed machines, so even more needed products are produced and work is done faster.
But if I take
a look at some of today’s ideas, e.g. the “Squatty Potty“ and its advertisement
on YouTube, it is difficult for me to take this product seriously, because I
see no sense in investing in such a product. For further illustrations let me
mention the “Kissinger“ and the Dog-Stroller. Do we really need these
inventions? Can we please let our dogs walk on their own as they did thousands
of years ago? The marketplace of ideas is and always will be overwhelming,
question is if this aspect is more positive or negative for the majority. The
same applies to the invention of an “autopilot“. Huge and expensive car brands
are developing and investing in this idea. One example of the autopilot failure
is a Tesla vehicle which I would like to go into detail briefly: We heard about
it in the news. A man who bought the car, switched on autopilot option which
means that the car is driving, changing directions and braking on its own. But
what happened? The vehicle crashed into a truck and the man died. Do we people
really need a car that drives us to our destination without us even touching
the steering wheel? Why not fly by plane or drive by train instead?
Not only the
marketplace of ideas but also the media does not let us disaffected. We do not
further live in a world that exists only of newspapers and radio stations.
Today’s media is clearly influenced by the internet and especially by social
media like Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Snap Chat, Vine, etc. Even in
television, social media is mentioned daily such as news about Donald Trump
using his famous Twitter account. Moreover, news is not only available on
television but also on platforms, for instance YouTube. Even advertising is not
a television-thing anymore. A case in point is Instagram: people create unique
accounts, be it for themselves or their unique pets. The more
subscribers/followers/fans one has, the more famous that person becomes. Brands
are willing to work with those people and knowingly invest much money to let
the “famous“ person represent their products for free. Brand ambassadors chose
the ones who will probably represent
best their products for a specific target group.
And yes, the
suspected huge fee that is paid to the famous “Instagramers“ because of taking
one picture or video wearing a watch or the newest Levi’s Jean does not let me
disaffected. I do not begrudge the people and their business through social
media, but I will not accept that “Instagramers“ and “Youtubers“ earn more
money than other people who work hard. Others study ten years to become lawyers
and doctors, poor people work every day on volcanos, breathe in sulfur, risk
their lives, little children in Bangladesh work and sew clothes with their
little bleeding fingers so we rich consumers can go shopping for cheap. The
world was never fair and will never be, but sadly the gap between the richest
and the poorest does not improve but increase instead. That is something that
will never let me disaffected.
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