Hazel Henderson reports that Neuromarketing is invading the corporate ethic. She connects the insidious practise of utilizing fMRI scans (and other neuro penetration technology) to fine tune marketing messages for the use of politicians and corporate interests . Along with the US Supreme Court decision to lift the restraints on corporate financing, this practise has the potential to undermine our capacities to make conscious choices. I wonder if it might also induce intelligent antibodies to resist such messaging?? and/or create such a public outcry that the practise will be outlawed (as in the earlier days of concerted efforts to prevent the spread/use of subliminal marketing)??? Methinks, we need to express our outrage before neuromarketing dumbs down audiences into zombies. Hazel offers a link to a petition to do that below. (All other channels of protest should be used as well.) Unabated neuromarketing will sink to “mess-working” with our brains — undermining our capacities (as opposed to “meshworking” which expands our capacities).
========
Dateline Jan. 26, 2010 Hazels says:
The EthicMark Award I founded is going viral! Spellcasters, our multimedia EthicMark® video debuted on truthout.org this weekend, exposing the unethical practice of NEUROMARKETING. Join us in taking the pledge to refrain from using neuromarketing and to use only ethical marketing tools to reach your audience. We can connect you to the World Business Academy, or you can sign the petition at www.worldbusiness.org.
“…dumbs down audiences into zombies” – this simply isn’t going to happen. Give human brains a little credit. Also, give advertising geniuses of the last 50 years some credit, too. If it were possible, we’d all be zombies by now.
Comments on the original rant here: Guard Your Reptilian Brain!.
Actually I do give us the benefit of the doubt and imagine the possibility that neuromarketing ” might also induce intelligent antibodies to resist such messaging?? ”
And if it were possible we’d all be zombies now?? I wonder how much or our potential is wasted by exposing our brains to such consumer-driven messages as we volunteer for now??? Rather a lot, I suppose.
Just a thot or two.