What Are My Commercials Trying to Tell Me
If for some weird reason I didn’t know how old I was, I could tell by the TV shows we watch. More specifically, by the commercials that run during those shows. Mostly they feature folks, either gray-haired or that vague blond color that you can’t tell what color it really is, in knit clothing two sizes too big, blue gray so they blend into the background, walking or playing with the dog, or watching the grandkids run through the sprinkler. Is there some significance in the sprinkler—like is my life quickly spraying away while the young dance around me? These old people are smiling big toothy smiles. And they’re fighting disease, usually diabetes, but cancer is also popular, as is erectile disfunction. That’s how I can tell that what we’re watching is being widely circulated in hospital rooms across the country. Because they’re hoping to get in that last shot at my cash before I check out. What appalls me is who the sponsors think I’m going to identify with. Do I really loo...