We Are Being Programmed (Part 2): The Switch

We are all affected by it...call it advertising, propaganda,
programming, social engineering, psychological operations, or
whatever other term could be applied.  The act of a force
outside of your mind trying to convince you to do something. 
In the second episode of this series we take a look at the early,
early days of advertising...before cars took people to stores miles
from their house.  Back in this time period, the merits of a
consumer good or service were believed to be enough to sell the
item.  At the turn of the century (1900) we were still
considered 'citizens' by those in positions of power (government
and industry), but this was all about to change.  After the
success of the Committee on Public Information, a WWI organization
in charge of swaying public opinion to support the war, the same
techniques used to sell the war to the citizens of the US were
adapted by big business to more effectively sell their goods and
services.  Edward Burnays was a member of the CPI and the
leading proponent of switching the citizenry into consumers in the
post WWI years. In the mid 1920's, he successfully combined the
philosophy of Wilfred Trotter (and his idea of "herd instinct")
with the writings of his uncle, Sigmund Freud.  The successful
techniques pioneered by Burnays are still being used to sell us
consumer goods today; press release, celebrity endorsement,
testimonials, sex, product placement and the idea that buying a
consumer good that we don't need will fill that empty hole in our
lives. [Click to Listen]