Rating: 
Summary: Interesting examination of consumer culture
Review: What I'm lovin'is books like this. The message that consumerism is attacking the younglings of this country and turning them into faux-yuppies who end up broke or depressed couldn't be more true. Ms. Quart gives a much needed "shout-out" to all the nerds out there who's skin is tough enough to resist the marketing machines that permeate the all important kingdom of youth. This woman is one smart cookie and is able to give us delightful jaunt into part of our culture that many of us try to avoid. Some people will drive past a dead cat lying in the road and think, "Hey, it wasn't me that hit that dead cat..."
Alissa Quart tells us,"Hey THERE IS A DEAD CAT IN THE ROAD! SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!"
Great book.
Rating: 
Summary: In the words Mickey-D s- "I'm Lovin It!"
Review: What I'm lovin'is books like this. The message that consumerism is attacking the younglings of this country and turning them into faux-yuppies who end up broke or depressed couldn't be more true. Ms. Quart gives a much needed "shout-out" to all the nerds out there who's skin is tough enough to resist the marketing machines that permeate the all important kingdom of youth. This woman is one smart cookie and is able to give us delightful jaunt into part of our culture that many of us try to avoid. Some people will drive past a dead cat lying in the road and think, "Hey, it wasn't me that hit that dead cat..."
Alissa Quart tells us,"Hey THERE IS A DEAD CAT IN THE ROAD! SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!"
Great book.
Rating:
Summary: only half the issue is examined
Review: While this book has a lot of sound principles about how youth are bombarded with messages to buy buy buy particular status-laden brands, I felt a lot of the data was manipulated to support the author's theory. For instance, she cites Katherine Newsome's book No Shame in My Game, about how teens take low-paying jobs in fast-food industries to pay for these status symbols. However, the rest of that book (which I highly recommend, by the way) goes on to say that a lot of people chose to work at those jobs rather than go on welfare --- even though they would have gotten more money from welfare - because it gave them self-esteem to work for their money, a positive social network among their coworkers, job experience, and, for some, a chance to break away from their gangs. She tells how schools have contracts with Pepsi and Coca Cola, so that their drinks are sold in vending machines and ads are put up in the hallways. This is not done primarily to brainwash kids about the product, but to raise money for the school for basic supplies and repairs. Believe it or not, a lot of schools don't have everything they need to adequately teach a growing number of students. I once spoke with a board member for a school in DC whose windows were sealed with duct tape (as well as problems with the boiler) and the city did not reply to their complaints till they had a news crew come film it. Maybe Branded could have done itself one better by examining more how the obsession with objects stems from loneliness and disconnectedness (hence the need to brand oneself and create an identity through labels). She speaks of teenaged girls and guys wanting plastic surgery and being accompanied to the plastic surgeon's office with parents. But what is the real dynamic behind all that? Why have the girls been asking for implants since age 13? We know they have seen Britney and crew forever, but why haven't parents, other relatives, counselors, teachers, etc - people they actually know --- helped them see beyond all that and have a stronger sense of self? THAT was the book I thought I was going to read. I feel this book did only half the job of looking at why things are worse than ever in terms of materialism. Brands have been and always will be out there - it's the degree of importance that we attach to them that is the real issue. Is it appropriate or is it taking over our lives? You can only answer that for yourself, I guess.
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