Analysis Of Master Of Desire: The Culture Of Advertising

Advertisements are a very influential part of our lives. We have been exposed to ads all our lives, and in many ways, they have shaped the way we think and act. Advertisements are very pervasive and come in many different shapes and sizes. They are available in every form of medium, ranging from magazines, television, radio, the internet, billboards, etc. Ads are very important in our society. They make us wary of many cultural trends, as well as give us useful information that might help us lead better lives.

Advertisements are designed to attract public attention and patronage. There are many different types of ads. There are ads that promote goods and services, and there are also ads such as political campaign ads and non-profit health ads such as those ?Quit Smoking? campaigns. But no matter what type they are, ads serve one general purpose: to tell us where we belong in society.
To initiate his analysis, Solomon first claims that there are two faces of the American Dream. They are Populism and Elitism. Even though Americans cherish and celebrate equality and such ideologies, deep down, everyone is tying to rise above in the social order, and bask alone in one?s glory. As Solomon states, ?It is as if our society were a vast high-school football game, with the bulk of the participants noisily rooting in the stands, while, deep down, each of them is wishing he or she could be the star quarterback or head cheerleader?