According to the article "On sale at Old Navy: Cool clothes for identical zombies!"written by Damien Cave, American consumers are being duped by corporations. Cave states that these corporations trick us into thinking we are individualistic and creative if we buy cheat but good quality products at their stores. Ikea and Old Navy took the brunt of Cave's criticism. He disclosed that Old Navy sells similar clothes to the Gap but has a smaller variety to offer and Ikea has rooms already set up discouraging individuality. Both stores, he claims, have tactics to make one spend more than they intend. Old Navy hands out large mesh bags to hold large quantities of clothes and Ikea has no exits in the store besides the ones after the checkout, forcing shoppers to walk through the whole store. Cave quoted Harvard professor Julia Schor who declared that we are stuck in "the cycle of work and spend." However, there is hope for America, we just need to wait and see if people will take action to stop this cloning commercialism.
I do not quite agree with Cave, yes, it is tedious to have no exit in a store and to be forced to walk through all the rooms in Ikea. It also may be true that Old Navy does not have a wide selection at their stores. However, no matter where one shops, other people are going to shop there too. Inevitably, people will own the same clothes. But, it is the way they wear the clothes that is important. Two people who buy the same dress will not wear it the same way or with the exact same accessories. Despite the fact that Ikea has whole rooms set up for consumers to buy does not totally discourage creativity. No every buyer will feel the need to buy the whole set or get all the pieces from the same set. There is an advantage to having to walk through the whole store. One is able to see all the other options open to them and mix and match what pieces they like best. They way these stores are set up is the best way the corporations think will sell their products. Sure they can be slightly overbearing and one can feel obligated to purchase merchandise that he or she does not need. With a little self-control, one can leave satisfied and happy with a purchase in had. Consumerism is very prevalent in America today especially with companies like Ikea and Old Navy around, but I feel like it is all related to supply and demand. The consumers demand easy products to buy and they are supplied these things by the corporations. Americans have always been individualistic, I believe that if they feel too controlled by corporations, they would make it know. There is no need to worry we will all become cloned zombies because of big corporations.
