Roland Merchand- The Parable of the Democracy of Goods

I liked this essay because i felt i could relate. It made me think and analyze the ads that i see all the time and ussually don't bat an eye at. The Parable of the Democracy of Goods is reffering to the idea that all products can be used by anyone. The greatness of modern mass production allowed everyone to enjoy the "society's most significant pleasure, convenience, or benefit". He mostly reffers to ads between 1920 and 1940. The main pattern that i notice was that all the ads depicted or explained a wealthy family using a product and then a note saying that all families can enjoy the same product. For example, one ad he explained was about a wealthy family was feeding their child Cream of Wheat and then explaining how not even the filthy rich could buy a better breakfast for their child. This idea would make people think that "well if THEY are feeding their child that and their rich i should too". This idea only works because we view the rich as living in luxury and would like to live like them, and if they are using a product we should be too.

Merchand also explains the opposite idea of the Democracy of Afflictions. This idea expressed that it does not matter who you are because we are all the same. This was attemping to relate to everyone by no setting a target market. An example Merchand uses is a soap company saying that no one is safe from B.O. no matter who you are. Another way of explaining the Democracy of Afflictions is that its a mode to remind mindless readers that no one was safe from a specific threat or danger that a certain product they were advertising could prevent. So first they remind you that you are not safe no matter who you are and then offer up their product to protect oneself.

Another way the Democracy of Goods was present in society was comparing to the past. Historical comparisons were made to make ones present situation seem better. "No monarch in all history ever saw the day he could have half as much as you." was presented by Paramount Pictures and is a great example of the Democracy of Goods. The prices of many products were lowered from mass production allowing people to buy product formally only availiable to the rich. This makes people feel important and part of the elite in our society. So really what it comes down to is that the feeling we get out of buying a product and the statment made about ones status by buying that product.