Saturday, January 31, 2009

2.1.09 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 is full of advice on how to steer clear of bad information. Throughout the chapters, I have noticed the popular act of questioning in unspinning oneself. Chapter 5 is no different by first suggesting, "Getting the facts right is important," and then goes on to share an analogy of a worse-case scenario, pertaining to bad information. Overall, the instance could have been prevented if the individual did a little active questioning of the poor information he received. I agree, many can prevent falling for bad info if they research and explore solidity of the subject matter. We need to search for facts.

The "Grey Goose Effect" was interesting. I enjoyed how the section broke down marketing tactics, which cause Grey Goose Vodka to be considered a sophisticated, high-quality, smooth brand of Vodka. By raising the price, having an attractive appearance, and advertising its sophistication, the brand is able to maintain a high-class popularity and association. However, things are not always as they appear. That is why we need to question things more often; to ultimately seek out the truth in the matter. In the instance pertaining to Grey Goose Vodka, the alcohol is a mixture of distilled vodka mixed with water. The consumer can be easily fooled, unless they take the time to identify facts. In doing so, one is on a successful path to becoming unspun in a world full of propaganda.

4 comments:

  1. I completely agree that we need to search for facts. All too often, people just jump to conclusions without actually digging beneath the surface for the truth. I couldn't believe the story in chapter five about the California doctor who got caught in a tax evasion scam. That just goes to show that even educated people are unaware that they need to become unspun in regards to propaganda.

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  2. I am seriously thinking about conducting a Smirnoff/Grey Goose taste test, equipped with blindfolds and a few bottles of each, of course. I thought the dissection of the “Grey Goose Effect” was interesting as well.

    The whole concept of taste being subjective totally blew me away and I’m still in the midst of an internal debate concerning Tastycake’s Butterscotch Kripmets vs. Cupcakes Gourmet’s regular cupcake worth $4/each. Then comes the question is the illusion of better taste worth it? Sometimes it’s nice to pretend were classy even if we are just fooling ourselves by getting a 12$ bottle of wine over some 2-buck-chuck. Cheers!

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  3. I did a vodka test! It's true that when you are blindfolded, there is very little difference in taste and quality. Even though I know one really isn't better than the other, I still will buy the more expensive vodka because of the packaging. Now, when I buy my vodka, I'll know that I'll be paying more money for nothing. So sad...I agree with Lauren though that sometime it is nice to pretend we're being classy and play into the illusions.

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