Our Desensitized Demise

I’ve always known what I wanted to write about for articles yet I wanted to be original and come from a different angle. I didn’t want to ride the wave of what many blogs about or latch on to any of the latest trends. I'm a designer, a different kind of designer. Not the type that you see on project runway or HGTV. I'm what they call a "Millennial Neanderthal", and I believe that my old-fashioned, yet creative views are valuable but what is it worth to a generation so detached?

Throughout my life, I've witnessed some crazy sh*t from the invention of the microwave to a Tesla Roadster launched into space. I’ve seen our first Black American President and our first Orange American President (sorry couldn’t help it). With that said, I do not fancy myself a political comedian or civil rights activist – which are both sensitive subjects for me. I try my best to stay in the neutral zone for many personal reasons, but I see something that I genuinely believe not only affects our own lives but businesses as well. Stay with me. I refuse to believe that the world doesn't give a f*ck anymore. I can't. I refuse to believe it because I know there are good people out there who still exist in this world. I live in New York. The most cutthroat eat or be eaten metropolitan city in the world. On a daily basis, I get on the subway, packed in like cattle, and I analyze everyone. The make-up artists, the wide spreaders, the grumps, the selfie-takers, and the candy crushers but one thing they all have in common is their obsession with their smartphones that no one could pry out of hands if their lives depended on it. The thing is, I can't point the finger at anyone else because I'm addicted as well. Feels funny as I type away on my MacBook on this article now. What is also painfully clear is that we’ve become so desensitized, that we don't notice (or care about) what we are doing wrong and it's also come into play with business, specifically with advertising.

I’ve always known what I wanted to write about for articles yet I wanted to be original and come from a different angle. I didn’t want to ride the wave of what many blogs about or latch on to any of the latest trends. I'm a designer, a different kind of designer. Not the type that you see on project runway or HGTV. I'm what they call a "Millennial Neanderthal", and I believe that my old-fashioned, yet creative views are valuable but what is it worth to a generation so detached?

Throughout my life, I've witnessed some crazy sh*t from the invention of the microwave to a Tesla Roadster launched into space. I’ve seen our first Black American President and our first Orange American President (sorry couldn’t help it). With that said, I do not fancy myself a political comedian or civil rights activist – which are both sensitive subjects for me. I try my best to stay in the neutral zone for many personal reasons, but I see something that I genuinely believe not only affects our own lives but businesses as well. Stay with me. I refuse to believe that the world doesn't give a f*ck anymore. I can't. I refuse to believe it because I know there are good people out there who still exist in this world. I live in New York. The most cutthroat eat or be eaten metropolitan city in the world. On a daily basis, I get on the subway, packed in like cattle, and I analyze everyone. The make-up artists, the wide spreaders, the grumps, the selfie-takers, and the candy crushers but one thing they all have in common is their obsession with their smartphones that no one could pry out of hands if their lives depended on it. The thing is, I can't point the finger at anyone else because I'm addicted as well. Feels funny as I type away on my MacBook on this article now. What is also painfully clear is that we’ve become so desensitized, that we don't notice (or care about) what we are doing wrong and it's also come into play with business, specifically with advertising.

From women's rights to affirmative action and the LGBT movement, we have seen life-changing, positive results from these great causes. As expected, businesses began shifting their energy towards catering to these causes (for a profit of course) and hiring the same , so they are not looked upon as non-conforming. But how ironic is it that with all that catering, many companies today still miss the mark with their advertising? They take the time (or maybe they don’t) to put out an entirely insensitive, politically incorrect ad but when crucified by the masses, the ad is pulled away with the "oops my bad" apology. Look at the recent H&M ad with the “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” sweatshirt or the Heineken Beer “Lighter is Better” commercial.

How can this new ultra-sensitive society be so incredibly oblivious?! We’ve been so caught up in our smartphones and social media that our decline just flew over our heads. I feel our descent started long ago when chivalry when people began bumping into you or stepping on your toes without saying excuse me. Now we’re at a point of no return where people are ready to record a video of something tragically happening instead of helping someone. Kids are divorcing their parents. Employers no longer take care of their employees who work hard and devote a majority of their lives to their companies. Elders are no longer respected, our every misstep is uploaded to the gram to be mocked and humiliated in video form or meme but I digress…I’m going way too deep, but I think you get me. Meanwhile, the corporations who are all about selling their products and making money have become extremely offensive in their advertising. Do companies have an ethics board created to monitor and approve their ads? With what we’ve seen thus far I doubt it. With all of the other regulating boards out there why aren’t companies required to have an ethics board?? Okay, maybe the word ETHICS is too strong. How about Social Sensitivity Committee? Yes, we have the health board for restaurants, NTSB for travel, federal laws and regulations for sizeable manufacturing production or pharmaceuticals…so why not advertising? I'm all for pushing the envelope creatively, but lately, we’ve ripped up the envelope, doused it with lighter fluid and burned it to the ground. No one is watching the store anymore. I guess they’re too busy updating their social media accounts.

I’ve always known what I wanted to write about for articles yet I wanted to be original and come from a different angle. I didn’t want to ride the wave of what many blogs about or latch on to any of the latest trends. I'm a designer, a different kind of designer. Not the type that you see on project runway or HGTV. I'm what they call a "Millennial Neanderthal", and I believe that my old-fashioned, yet creative views are valuable but what is it worth to a generation so detached?

Throughout my life, I've witnessed some crazy sh*t from the invention of the microwave to a Tesla Roadster launched into space. I’ve seen our first Black American President and our first Orange American President (sorry couldn’t help it). With that said, I do not fancy myself a political comedian or civil rights activist – which are both sensitive subjects for me. I try my best to stay in the neutral zone for many personal reasons, but I see something that I genuinely believe not only affects our own lives but businesses as well. Stay with me. I refuse to believe that the world doesn't give a f*ck anymore. I can't. I refuse to believe it because I know there are good people out there who still exist in this world. I live in New York. The most cutthroat eat or be eaten metropolitan city in the world. On a daily basis, I get on the subway, packed in like cattle, and I analyze everyone. The make-up artists, the wide spreaders, the grumps, the selfie-takers, and the candy crushers but one thing they all have in common is their obsession with their smartphones that no one could pry out of hands if their lives depended on it. The thing is, I can't point the finger at anyone else because I'm addicted as well. Feels funny as I type away on my MacBook on this article now. What is also painfully clear is that we’ve become so desensitized, that we don't notice (or care about) what we are doing wrong and it's also come into play with business, specifically with advertising.

From women's rights to affirmative action and the LGBT movement, we have seen life-changing, positive results from these great causes. As expected, businesses began shifting their energy towards catering to these causes (for a profit of course) and hiring the same , so they are not looked upon as non-conforming. But how ironic is it that with all that catering, many companies today still miss the mark with their advertising? They take the time (or maybe they don’t) to put out an entirely insensitive, politically incorrect ad but when crucified by the masses, the ad is pulled away with the "oops my bad" apology. Look at the recent H&M ad with the “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” sweatshirt or the Heineken Beer “Lighter is Better” commercial.

How can this new ultra-sensitive society be so incredibly oblivious?! We’ve been so caught up in our smartphones and social media that our decline just flew over our heads. I feel our descent started long ago when chivalry when people began bumping into you or stepping on your toes without saying excuse me. Now we’re at a point of no return where people are ready to record a video of something tragically happening instead of helping someone. Kids are divorcing their parents. Employers no longer take care of their employees who work hard and devote a majority of their lives to their companies. Elders are no longer respected, our every misstep is uploaded to the gram to be mocked and humiliated in video form or meme but I digress…I’m going way too deep, but I think you get me. Meanwhile, the corporations who are all about selling their products and making money have become extremely offensive in their advertising. Do companies have an ethics board created to monitor and approve their ads? With what we’ve seen thus far I doubt it. With all of the other regulating boards out there why aren’t companies required to have an ethics board?? Okay, maybe the word ETHICS is too strong. How about Social Sensitivity Committee? Yes, we have the health board for restaurants, NTSB for travel, federal laws and regulations for sizeable manufacturing production or pharmaceuticals…so why not advertising? I'm all for pushing the envelope creatively, but lately, we’ve ripped up the envelope, doused it with lighter fluid and burned it to the ground. No one is watching the store anymore. I guess they’re too busy updating their social media accounts.

From women's rights to affirmative action and the LGBT movement, we have seen life-changing, positive results from these great causes. As expected, businesses began shifting their energy towards catering to these causes (for a profit of course) and hiring the same , so they are not looked upon as non-conforming. But how ironic is it that with all that catering, many companies today still miss the mark with their advertising? They take the time (or maybe they don’t) to put out an entirely insensitive, politically incorrect ad but when crucified by the masses, the ad is pulled away with the "oops my bad" apology. Look at the recent H&M ad with the “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” sweatshirt or the Heineken Beer “Lighter is Better” commercial.

How can this new ultra-sensitive society be so incredibly oblivious?! We’ve been so caught up in our smartphones and social media that our decline just flew over our heads. I feel our descent started long ago when chivalry when people began bumping into you or stepping on your toes without saying excuse me. Now we’re at a point of no return where people are ready to record a video of something tragically happening instead of helping someone. Kids are divorcing their parents. Employers no longer take care of their employees who work hard and devote a majority of their lives to their companies. Elders are no longer respected, our every misstep is uploaded to the gram to be mocked and humiliated in video form or meme but I digress…I’m going way too deep, but I think you get me. Meanwhile, the corporations who are all about selling their products and making money have become extremely offensive in their advertising. Do companies have an ethics board created to monitor and approve their ads? With what we’ve seen thus far I doubt it. With all of the other regulating boards out there why aren’t companies required to have an ethics board?? Okay, maybe the word ETHICS is too strong. How about Social Sensitivity Committee? Yes, we have the health board for restaurants, NTSB for travel, federal laws and regulations for sizeable manufacturing production or pharmaceuticals…so why not advertising? I'm all for pushing the envelope creatively, but lately, we’ve ripped up the envelope, doused it with lighter fluid and burned it to the ground. No one is watching the store anymore. I guess they’re too busy updating their social media accounts.