I come from a background of privilege -- my parents both had college degrees and could pay for college educations for me and my brother
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My family was middle class but my Mom has very financially conservative values. My parents saw that I had reasonable (but not fancy) clothes, food, and were able to get to school, but they bought me very little in the way of toys and hobby materials. My parents did buy some nice things for the household and my Dad indulged purchases of his own hobbies (antique radio, antique cars and restoration thereof) - but he was the sole big wage earner
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My parents were a ways along that frugal scale, as well -- but not that far. Since my mom was a math teacher, she wanted us to become financially literate. Instead of buying stuff for us, they gave an allowance so we could learn to live within our means. But my means were relatively straightened compared to what I saw spent on my peers. And I was discouraged from getting a job because they were convinced my high school GPA would follow me forever. Ha!
You sound like you found the frugality unpleasant, but I pretty much drank the koolaid and was proud of my parents' approach. I think I responded like that because it was explained carefully to me. On the other hand, my sibling started selling dope.
I always have been willing to borrow some funds for things that help you enjoy the present significantly more, and look very plausible to responsibly pay off later. I believe this is how the majority buy a car, a house and fund significant home improvements. In short, I bought into the credit culture. My folks were not credit culture people except house and car
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I think my brother was pretty small-time for a pretty short time, so he moved on before there were any big consequences (that I know of). He became a serial entrepreneur, at one point going through bankruptcy (and my mother told him, "I'm ashamed to share your last name.") In the late 90s he went back to school for programming, got hired away by an instructor before completing his BS, and is now a highly-paid Java developer at Wells Fargo
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Thank you for seeing my perspective. I guess I don't really know where the middle is anymore. You're right that a lot of units of digital toys being sold. I find myself with a (probably inaccurate) picture of well-off households with piles of the things (as they become obsolete every few months) and the rest of us (even the geeks) having few.
Like you, I think of us as upper-middle, and there's no way we're getting the iPhone data plan (while my contribution to our income is unemployment benefits and a few thousand in freelance).
It's partly a generational difference, I think, but I need to remember this: even my best friends among my age-mates have regularly astonished me with how they choose to spend.
It should be noted that such a camera exists, and I have one (the Flip Ultra HD) and have put up a few videos. I don't think it's a bad idea to practice marketing products that are currently available. If nothing else, they can compare strategies with the real thing.
As to privilege: The digital divide isn't what it used to be. Many people have cell phones that I would suspect could have spent the money on other useful things. As dreamshark noted, people have different priorities.
The object of advertising is to sell product. Moral and ethical situations are, alas, tertiary and possibly nonexistent. Good heavens, they still advertise cigarettes.
I'm glad you have concerns. Perhaps you could write copy that uses those concerns. But probably not in the way you really want.
In fact, the instructor handed us a Flip and said, "imagine the launch of a new iteration of this, with the following added features...." So we'll be looking at the existing web site, etc.
I probably should have gotten on the other team, which is working on ultra-healthy (and quite expensive) bread developed by an ex-con named Dave. But more students wanted to be on that one, and high-tech has been my destiny. I really am much more comfortable (and experienced) with business-to-business marketing, where the ethical concerns are at least one step removed as compared to business-to-consumer.
Phones, it seems to me, usually have more functional justification than video cameras. Not that a cell phone is essential to survival to most urban dwellers, but I think I'd feel more need for one if I didn't have a car.
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You sound like you found the frugality unpleasant, but I pretty much drank the koolaid and was proud of my parents' approach. I think I responded like that because it was explained carefully to me. On the other hand, my sibling started selling dope.
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Like you, I think of us as upper-middle, and there's no way we're getting the iPhone data plan (while my contribution to our income is unemployment benefits and a few thousand in freelance).
It's partly a generational difference, I think, but I need to remember this: even my best friends among my age-mates have regularly astonished me with how they choose to spend.
Reply
As to privilege: The digital divide isn't what it used to be. Many people have cell phones that I would suspect could have spent the money on other useful things. As dreamshark noted, people have different priorities.
The object of advertising is to sell product. Moral and ethical situations are, alas, tertiary and possibly nonexistent. Good heavens, they still advertise cigarettes.
I'm glad you have concerns. Perhaps you could write copy that uses those concerns. But probably not in the way you really want.
Reply
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Phones, it seems to me, usually have more functional justification than video cameras. Not that a cell phone is essential to survival to most urban dwellers, but I think I'd feel more need for one if I didn't have a car.
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