In a new book, author Juliet Schor says kids are gravely harmed by television and in-school advertising in what she calls “the corporate takeover of childhood.” Schor claims “the more kids are exposed to consumer culture the more likely they are to become depressed, suffer from anxiety or experience low self esteem. She goes on to accuse marketers of the double whammy – dual messaging to kids and parents for the same product. She also found, through interviews, that marketers do not disagree with Schor’s assessment. They feel somewhat guilty for the tactics they use but are seemingly stuck in the machine that forces them to continue lest they lose their jobs.
