I believe that "false advertising" is often a tautology. So much of advertising is false that when one says advertising he is saying false. The notion, for example, that the beautiful woman in the ad is somehow connected to the product is false. She has NOTHING to do with it. When you buy the product you are getting the product but not her. But the advertisement tries to create a false association in your mind between her and the product.
When I was a kid they advertised "Have a Coke and a smile". In Israel the advertisement was "טעם החיים זה קוקה קולה" - "The taste of life is Coca Cola". Does Coke really make you smile? Is there any correlation between smiling and Coke? No, but they want you to think there is. Is Coke really the "taste of life"?? Is that pathetic or what??? [The former].
Advertising also hides information that the consumer should know [sort of like what people do when asked abut boys and girls for shidduch purposes]. In fact, cleaning a toilet is cheap and easy with a can of Coca-Cola. After the Coke sits in the toilet for an hour, the carbonic and phosphoric acid gets the job done, leaving behind a dirt-free toilet bowl!
When that same can of Coke is poured into the mouth and down the esophagus of a human being, a much more complex chain of events occurs. After burning its way down the throat and leaving behind a film of caramel coloring on the teeth, the Coca-Cola begins its nutritional destruction on the inside of the body. In a short time, a can of Coke takes the body on a roller coaster ride, taxing the liver, spiking the blood sugar, accelerating the production of bad fat and robbing the body of beneficial nutrients.
Based on research by health writer Wade Meredith, it explains that a 330ml can of Coca Cola contains so much sugar, your body should vomit - but the phosphoric acid "cuts the flavor", helping you keep the liquid down.
After 40 minutes, your blood sugar has spiked, your pupils dilated, and your blood pressure has risen.
The body starts to produce more dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls the brain's pleasure centers - physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
By the time the hour is up, you will want to urinate, and start to have a sugar crash, making you drowsy and irritable.
If you care about your heart, health and mind then please remember this next time you reach for that bottle.
[A Coca-Cola spokesperson said: “People have enjoyed drinking a Coca-Cola for more than 129 years. Like all soft drinks, it is perfectly safe to drink and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle. We provide a choice of colas to meet the needs of different consumers, including options that are lower sugar, sugar free and caffeine free.” SHKOYACH!!:-)]
Every advertisement is designed to make a person feel that he is missing something by not purchasing this product. The life-avoda of a Jew is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE!!! We are supposed to look at everything we have and be COMPLETELY SATISFIED.
An example I often use: Most if not all of the people reading this live in very comfortable homes. Our homes are faaaaar more comfortable than ANYTHING people ever lived in from the beginning of time until 20-30 years ago. We all have indoor plumbing, electricity, phone service, wifi [in all likelihood although I don't B"H], air conditioning for the summer and heating for the winter. We have two sinks, two sets of dishes with many many pieces, silver in our cabinets, 1-3 cars in our driveway, carpeting on our floors, comfortable couches to chill on etc. etc. etc. Don't forget the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, microwave oven, regular oven, fridge, freezer [and maybe a second one for storage because we have so much food B"H], a hot plate for Shabbos, a hot water urn etc. etc.
We also all have our own sets of tefillin, at least one Shas [in Europe there were ENTIRE TOWNS that didn't have one complete Shas], seven sets of mishna brura [that number depends on how many Bar Mitzvah boys in the house - at least 3 sets per boy...], those colored practical halacha books in English for quick reference, twenty five bentchers at least, 15 siddurim, many other miscellaneous sefarim etc. etc.
WHAT DO WE LACK??? [Besides simchas chayim and inner calm...]
Yet, the advertisers spend endless money to convince you that you HAVE to go away. They tell you how AMAZING it will be if you just go to Barbados or the South of France for Pesach. They promise you limitless food and entertainment. I recently saw an ad telling me that this resort in Southern California has 3 [?] swimming pools [I am guess a men's, a women's and a "family" i.e. mixed] and an "Executive" Golf Course. Ribbono Shel Olam - what is "Executive" about the golf course? Just another meaningless superlative. These hotels never employ a cook but a "chef". It is never just "food" but "exquisite gourmet cuisine".
What DON'T the advertisements mention? They never say in big Kiddush Levana letters - "This will cost you in the neighborhood of FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, will involve exhausting packing, unpacking, packing and unpacking again. You will have to deal with crabby, grumpy complaining children on the seemingly endless flights [not to mention lines in the airports] to and from your destination [who would be PERFECTLY HAPPY staying at home where they have their toys and friends and usual comfort zone]. You will overeat unhealthy food and feel physically [and emotionally] sick over it. The same problems you have in your relationship with your spouse and kids will continue over your vacation. You will be in touch with the office potentially every waking moment that is not actually Yom Tov so you will not really be able to relax.
Ahhh - but they have shiurim with a "scholar in residence" and daf yomi shiurim [some pre-golf daf]?? Wherever you live they ALSO have daf yomi shiurim and shiurim in other topics from people who might not have fancy names like "scholar in residence" but give shiurim no less interesting. You can also sit in the comfort of your own living room and hear MILLIONS OF SHIURIM on any topic under the sun [and above the sun...] with the option of stopping and restarting as you please.
This notion that is conveyed in the advertisements for these frum holiday programs that they are somehow spiritually enriching is quite often, as they say in the modern parlance שטויות במיץ עגבניות - nonsense. The ruchniyus is nullified 60-1 [or 100-1 or 1000-1] by the MABUL of gashmiyus.
So sweet friends let me be clear. Some people NEED to get away. If you do - ENJOY!!! By all means. I just ask that you not be swayed by bogus, misleading advertisements. ALL THEY WANT IS YOUR MONEY!!! When I raise money for various tzedakos on the blog, 99.9 percent plus of the people ignore the requests. Why? Because I am asking for money and people don't want to part with their money. Keep in mind that every advertisement is doing the same thing. They are trying to play psychological games with your mind to convince you to give them your hard earned money. People are more likely to part with 50k for Pesach on a vacation than to feed hungry families on Pesach because they don't view the vacation as a ploy to pry money out of them but that is really what it is. They are just soooooo drowning in the pleasure of the swimming pool and Lipa concert [I wonder what glasses he will wear tonight?] that they don't realize it.
REMEMBER: You don't really need to go to THIS PLACE specifically. You can most probably be happy at home as well. You don't really need any PRODUCT to make you happy.
HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN AND DOESN'T COST A PENNY!!!!!
Love and blessings:-)!
