Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So, Americans can only speak English? If in 100 years from now all Americans speak Spanish, what does it matter? They will be Americans.
^ This.
Also, 'Murica has no official language. English and Spanish are simply the most widely used languages, but even then minority language groups exist in enclaves all over the place. Think of signs and language use in Chinatowns in big cities, or whole parts of Dearborn MI, which are largely Middle-eastern (folks from Yemen, Syria, etc.)
Also, most countries around the world aren't as insular and people are polyglots to some degree. America has the distinction of being one of the only First-World countries relatively ignorant of foreign languages and somehow proud of it.
What I honestly don't understand is why big corporate franchises still feel the need to spend millions in advertising...?
I mean every one knows Coke & McDonalds for that matter. Watching their commercials doesn't make me feel like a coke or a Big Mac, I know they exist, I already know I can buy & consume them if I'm thirsty or hungry.
On the other hand, if Coke or McDonalds used all the funds they wasted in advertising & re-directed it towards charites or saving the environment, then I would be more inclined to consume their products....not because a commercial is telling me too.
Originally posted by Esau Cairn
What I honestly don't understand is why big corporate franchises still feel the need to spend millions in advertising...?I mean every one knows Coke & McDonalds for that matter. Watching their commercials doesn't make me feel like a coke or a Big Mac, I know they exist, I already know I can buy & consume them if I'm thirsty or hungry.
On the other hand, if Coke or McDonalds used all the funds they wasted in advertising & re-directed it towards charites or saving the environment, then I would be more inclined to consume their products....not because a commercial is telling me too.
Esau, your post warrants 2 serious responses.
1. Advertising is designed to work on a SUBconscious level, the level below your actively thinking awareness.
It is therefore effective in ways and degrees that are very, very hard for most people to detect or fully appreciate.
Consider the following for a remarkable illustration of just how powerful advertising can be, in an experiment done with advertisers THEMSELVES being subjected to standard advertising technique:
Derren Brown, the power of advertising (subliminal suggestions, etcetera)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQXe1CokWqQ
6 min 45 sec
2. People have noted nearly exactly the point you're trying to make.
Charities are required to adhere to laws that are the near exact REVERSE of good business practices. It's as if people were trying to make them follow the model of how to FAIL in business, though the people in charities are often trying to perform some of the noblest work of all.
Examine the following. It's longer than the first, but even the first 5 minutes should illustrate the inherent, unfair dilemmas the average charity, as opposed to a standard business, must face.
Dan Pallotta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfAzi6D5FpM
18 min 54 sec
Oh, since the first version is without URL parsing for future archive searching purposes, the link version of the above 2 clips:
Derren Brown, the power of advertising (subliminal suggestions, etcetera)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQXe1CokWqQ
6 min 45 sec
Dan Pallotta (the unfair challenges charities face)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfAzi6D5FpM
18 min 54 sec
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
America has the distinction of being one of the only First-World countries relatively ignorant of foreign languages and somehow proud of it.
Eh, France is the same in that regard. I'd argue that France language politics are worse than US's, since they actually hunt down local languages to erase them and refuse to give them any official status.
Because of equality, that is.
Originally posted by Bentley
Eh, France is the same in that regard. I'd argue that France language politics are worse than US's, since they actually hunt down local languages to erase them and refuse to give them any official status.Because of equality, that is.
When I was in Paris (34 years ago), I got kicked out of a restaurant because I didn't speak French. 😂 Those were the days.