Think about it
Conversations.
If I were to say, “ I’d like to take up smoking cigarettes.” The response would be “shame on you, why would you do that?” Not a conversation about the power of the tobacco industry and its deplorable abuse of money and power over advertising for over a century.
If I were to say, “bring on the alcohol, drink up!” The response would be “shame on you, why would anyone do that?” Not a conversation about the power of the booze industry and its use and abuse of hypnotizing the public with glorious ads. (TV- Cheers, How I met your mother- and pretty much any movie from the 19 ots to 2025.
“Loose weight, eat healthy.” its up to you. Not the fast food industry glorifying sick food making us sick through beautiful models eating junk food on screen. Advertising crap for kids.
Gambling, Drugs, Guns…
All of which:
Have unknown owners making unfathomable profits.
Are regulated by the government.
Use lobbyists to maintain political and economic power.
Manipulate power and conversations with two words- “Smoking Kills” cleverly labeled (putting the blame and talk back on the user.) “Drink Responsibly.” protecting the industry over liability. (It’s your fault you are a dangerous lush). Eat Healthy, because the blame gets shifted to millions of people overweight, avoiding the root causes.
I’m not saying individuals have some culpability. I am suggesting that when a conversation goes to blaming the smoker, the drinker, the overeater, perhaps diverting the chat to, “Yea, but why is that?”
Now take education. Government regulated and legally enforced. Profits from technology, textbooks, yearbooks, back to school budgets, science and history dioramas that get trashed after each semester- year after year. Blame kids for not sleeping, doing drugs, not learning… Kids. Innocent, vulnerable masses with no other outlets. Manipulated and used by the very institutions advertising safety and opportunities.
Think about it then talk about it- shift the dynamics. Learn. Empathize if possible. Change the dialogue.