I don’t expect a lot out of advertising. I mean, the industry never really aspires to create works of real depth, so I don’t judge a horrible poster or commercial critically, as I tend to do with art.
I see a picture hanging in a museum, and I analyze why the artist has used certain images, words, or colors. The artist intends for their work to create a lasting impression, and I treat it as such.
I see an advertisement on the side of a bus, and think, “gee, that model has nice breasts, I wonder if I should buy her perfume”. Obviously, real criticism is the last thing on my mind. Depending on your sexual orientation, you probably feel the same way.
This morning, as I was picking up my year’s supply of contact lenses, I noticed a framed advertisement behind the receptionist’s desk. The ad read:
"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
- Marcel Proust
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I don't even like Proust, but this advertisement offended me. Seriously, what sort of cynical bastard takes a profound phrase, reads it, then decides to completely twist its meaning just to sell their contacts?
Marcel Proust was well known for his novel approach to writing. He often spent pages describing one object, exploring how the object related to his own past, and how his perceptions of the object triggered other completely unrelated memories. Prousts' writing is probably the best example of a life which was based not on depth of experience, but the ceaseless analysis of everyday life.
Compare Proust's idea of mental and emotional discovery with the physical discovery this ad tries to sell it's reader. Think about how cool Proust's thought is, how unlike the very simple thought it is used for in this advertisement. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could always look at life through that same unblinking mental lense? Think of the nodes!