In the Adbusters spoof ad of Tommy Hilfiger, they are advertising a lack of individuality. The ad depicts a flock of sheep in front of an American flag with the subtext “follow the flock.” The American flag is perhaps meant to mock how it is considered American to be a consumer, and that to consume a supposedly American brand that is likely manufactured in a developing country is even more warped. But what the ad is mocking is the false sense of individuality that advertisers try to sell consumers. Advertisers try to sell the idea of an individual identity to a person if they consume their product. “Such a tact sells a kind of of pseudoindividuality, which the Frankfurt School theorists defined as a feature of the products of the culture industry, in which a false sense of individuality is sold simultaneously to many people.” So in fact the consumers are not being individuals at all, they are simply “following the flock.” Perhaps it is also a comment on the idea of American individualism, but how that idea of individualism is in fact very superficial, and often real individuals are actually outcasts in American society.
I find your critique intriguing and it does point out a very interesting paradox in our society. We've been told all our lives to be ourselves and yet we step in line with everyone else. However, is it possible to rid oneself of this mindset? Even outside of our western culture, it seems this phenomenon takes place to some extent. Perhaps it is human nature.
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