By watching Story of stuff I learned something that truly impacted me, it made me open my eyes and learn the personal consequences of using products, not just personally but the global consequence of what it takes to make stuff. For the first time I was aware of how our stuff come to be. I learned about the toxins, the exposures and the heartless corporations. And the worst part about knowing all this is that the smallest members of our society pay the biggest price. I found out that babies take in more chemicals than anyone else through mother’s breast milk. To understand first we have to dissect the process of how our products become toxic in the first place. Corporations begin their industrial production system by using “energy” to mix natural resources with toxic chemicals and carcinogens into products. When the stuff is consumed by women they begin their exposure. By the time mothers begin nursing they unknowingly pass high levels of chemicals into the babies.” Story of Stuff” also explains how women around reproductive ages that work in factories are being exposed to toxins and carcinogens that cause harmful effects to their reproductive system’s and their bodies.
This is where the system forgets to mention how corporations lack the ability to inform or educate their workers about the dangerous working conditions and exposures. As long as the corporations continue working with and mixing in toxins into our products we will continue to be exposed. If the materials economy doesn't change our babies will continue to feed on the mother’s poisonous milk.
Consuming kids: The Commercialization of childhood is a film about the journey of children becoming the consumers of the future. It explains the interest that corporate marketers have in children due to their potential in making a profitable industry. By watching Consuming kids I learned that unborn babies are predestined to become consumers. In the video mothers of unborn babies begin buying theme branded products such as Winnie the Pooh wipes, due to the mother’s brand loyalty they predestine their babies to be introduced to the notion of consumption once they are born. The products available for the working class are all branded such as toys, to diapers, and sippy cups and it becomes impossible to buy unbranded products. As babies begin to grow their parent’s behavior and the consumption of brands gives them notion that life is about buying, and consuming.
Before the baby is born the parent’s nostalgia misguides the parents into brand loyalty. Parents have been exposed to product for so long that they can no longer perceive their high brand loyalty. The nostalgia makes the parents associate feelings, events and people with the products. They might remember how they played with Winnie the Pooh toys as they grew up, since they associate the Winnie the Pooh brand with memorable experience they continue using the same product continuing their brand loyalty. The parent’s nostalgia trips can seem harmless and accidental but they truly continue to make them inevitably loyal consumers. Before babies are born parent’s already have a mentality about giving their future babies a chance to live their experiences, and what I mean by this is they might want their kids to also use Winnie the pooh wipes because it reminds the parent of their childhood.
Once babies are born they are surrounded by products they will learn to use and associate as well and slowly but surely become loyal consumers.
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