Herd instinct vs sound judgement

Probably one of the least flattering social ironies of our time is the way in which today's advertis...

Probably one of the least flattering social ironies of our time is the way in which today's advertising and media delights in inviting us to buy mass-produced, must-have items on the basis such purchases will somehow increase our standing as individuals. These days, there are few things more desirable than being seen to stand apart from the crowd. This, after all, is how icons, those who are continually emulated, are born. Of course, the more any of us attempt to remove ourselves from our social or economic surroundings, the more tightly we pigeonhole ourselves as members of the herd. ...