Words not only affect us temporarily; they change us, they socialize or unsocialize us.
David RiesmanRead
Why, I ask, isn't it possible that advertising as a whole is a fantastic fraud, presenting an image of America taken seriously by no one, least of all by the advertising men who create it?
Interpretation
The quote questions the authenticity of advertising in representing America.
David Riesman suggests that advertising is ultimately a deception, creating a facade of America that lacks genuine belief, even among those who produce it. This reflects a deeper commentary on the nature of perception and reality in a consumer-driven society, where the image portrayed is often far removed from the truth.
In practice
During a discussion on consumerism, one might use this quote to emphasize the deceptive nature of advertising.
Words not only affect us temporarily; they change us, they socialize or unsocialize us.
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We are reading the story of our lives As though we were in it As though we had written it.
To tell the truth is revolutionary.
When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself for those who are hungry, for those who have no schools, for those who are deprived, we are not departing from God's promise. He comes to free us from sin, and the church knows that sin's consequences are all such injustices and abuses. The church knows it is saving the world when it undertakes to speak also of such things.
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