Youtube resembles TV but the apparent commercial breaks aren't. Much of the purported content on youtube is shilling less thinly-veiled than the '80s most toyetic TV shows.
"We now return to your regularly-scheduled commercial."
"Oh good, I didn't miss a moment of this week's episode of Product Unboxing."
"This week's episode of Product Unboxing features the limited edition Thneed Premium but first I gotta give a shout out to my sponsor..."
This is why my parents only permitted me to watch public broadcasting until I was 13. I didn't appreciate it at the time but in retrospect they were right. It's utterly bizarre how much time most kids spent watching commercial propaganda.
I spent half a day with a family (friend of a girlfriend) many years ago and was blown away by their home and parenting, which was very much what I'd want if I was ever a parent (which I won't be). No screens visible except a TV that I never saw turned on, no computers visible, no electronic toys, and very few toys in general. Their child, maybe age 9, was amazing - didn't ask for anything, wasn't pleading for sugar or TV time or toys or attention. She was having a lot of fun politely socializing with adults and amusing herself with drawing, crafts, and reading.
It's wild to see a lot of parenting in contrast. Kids come home from school, instantly sit down on phone or tablet, will complain incessantly or throw a tantrum if it's taken away for any amount of time, and eat whatever they want whenever they want and also tantrum if they can't. Usually involves a lot of yelling by parent with zero effect on child.
Which consumerist propaganda video on TV was your childhood favorite? My favorite is a tie between Trix and Cookie Crisp -- two cereals so good you had to protect them from thieves. Now that I think about it, maybe Lucky Charms is my favorite because in those commercials the children were the thieves!
