Every Blind Date Has A "But..."

Moonlight Basin's status reads

7 inches of fresh powder and it's still falling!!

Well, obviously I'm going to come skiing. But, I take that status at its word-- I don't check the weather report, I don't check an extra snow report. And now here I am, in the Moonlight Lodge typing my blog on my phone. Wind is blowing so hard when you go down a run it pushes you back up. It makes for longer runs, but not very enjoyable runs. Now, they weren't lying- the snow is coming down and there is fresh powder. But the powder is blinding you and the wind is threatening to close a powderhounds favorite lifts. Thus, the power of leaving stuff out in advertising. This idea reminds me of a "How I Met Your Mother" episode I saw recently. Lily is trying to set Robin up on a blind date and tells her "He is sweet and nice and has a great job." Ted then rightly points out that when setting someone up there is always a "but..." As in, "He's great (but he has a peg leg)" So, in my blind date with Moonlight I missed the fine print. "The snow is great (but you won't get to enjoy it because it's so windy)". Next time I'll remember to find out the "but"

Seize the Deals?

"Hey, guys-- tonight is 1/2 off appetizers at Applebee's."
"Awesome, let's go!"

Are we actually interested in 1/2 off appetizers? Certainly not. My roommate suggests appetizers at Applebee's and my mind automatically goes to, "Aw man, I'm gonna get the biggest margarita they have." Hold up. . . aren't drinks full-priced? Yep. But I was ready to hop in the car and drive all the way down 19th in order to get "1/2 off appetizers" when in actuality, I'm going there to get $7 drinks.
It is not a logical connection to make once you look at it objectively, but it makes sense at the time. Restaurants and stores do that all the time-- they use a discount on one thing, knowing that you will come in (when you wouldn't have otherwise) and buy more than that at full price. Ingenious.


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What Pop Culture Says About You

It is a common notion, as we have discussed in class, that how and what we consume in a way defines who we are. We can’t just have the plain metal paperclips anymore, because choosing the colorful, glitter paper clips will show people how happy-go-lucky you are. Arguably the most self-defining consumption choices we make are our consumption of media. The concerts we go to, the movies we watch, the magazines we read generally say more about our personality than the brand of potato chips or type of blender we buy.

 

I read a recent article on The Onion that discussed how we relate to our peers through pop culture and our choices in music and movies. "‘Jean-Luc Godard, Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder—you simply need to know who these men are if you want to call yourself culturally literate,’ Campbell said of the three iconic [film] directors whose creations could not have less utility to his daughter as she searches for a way to achieve a sense of belonging among her fellow middle-schoolers.”

 Especially when I was younger, the type of music I listened to defined my friend group. 

 However, that may have been a special circumstance, as going to local concerts was the weekend pastime of my circle of friends at that time. Had music and concerts not been the focus of our time spent together, music may not have defined us as much. But now, even if it isn’t so important as defining who we’re friends with, there is definitely a “type” or “personality” attached to the person you see reading Forbes versus People magazine. Do we consider the stigma attached to different types of media and pop culture when deciding whether or not to engage? Probably. Whether consciously deciding based on what other people think or not, the personality or ideology around that magazine probably has a large influence on whether or not you pick it up. Or maybe you just really hate the Kardashians, so you grabbed that Forbes instead—probably a good choice, as people walking by will now assume you are a wealthy intellectual instead of, well… the type of person that reads about the Kardashians. 

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