It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
The solution as consumers is - perhaps surprisingly - to take adverts very, very seriously. We should ask ourselves what it is that we find lovely in them - the visions of friendship, togetherness, repose, or whatever. And then consider what would actually help us find these qualities in our lives.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We should critically assess advertisements to understand the qualities they promote and seek those qualities in our own lives.
Alain De Botton suggests that rather than ignoring advertisements as mere marketing tactics, we should take them seriously. By reflecting on the ideals they present, such as friendship and togetherness, we can identify what we truly desire in our lives and take steps to cultivate those qualities ourselves.
Themes
AdvertisingSelf-ReflectionQualitiesDesiresLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about consumerism, you might cite this quote to emphasize the importance of introspection regarding our desires.
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
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