Episode 155: Food Dehydrators, Psychic Hotlines, and Vacuum Hair Cuts: Infomercials with Dustin (part one)

<p><a href="https://dustintraviswhite.com/">Dustin</a> joins Amanda to discuss something near and dear (or at least super nostalgic): infomercials.  How did they become a billion dollar business in the late 80s? And when/where did they begin?  We discuss all of that (and more) in this episode.</p><p><strong>Watch:<br></strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5IzzGPzQA">The First Infomercial (Vitamix)</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ_-nEutSKw">Ronco Electric Food Dehydrator</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbUOIeIeGaI">The Time Life Mysteries of the Unknown Series</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZJSjrox_2s">Pure Moods</a></p><p><strong>Read:<br></strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/04/style/the-stepford-channel.html?pagewanted=1">"The Stepford Channel,"</a> Rick Marin, The New York Times.</p><p><br><strong>The first audio essay series of 2023!!</strong></p><p>We’re going to be talking about our relationship with shopping!</p><p><br></p><p>As we began to talk about at the end of last year, we are practically trained to be consumers from birth.  From sticker collections to toys to the commercials on the Saturday morning cartoons, we have been told that new stuff = a better life. More happiness. Popularity…and even in the case of the “romance industrial complex,” it means love and appreciation.  Shopping is a social activity, the subject of copious amounts of magazine articles, blogs posts, and social media content.  For some families shopping is the only way they can spend time together and get along!</p><p>Here are some ideas of things you can cover in your audio essay:</p><ul> <li>How did shopping fit into your childhood? Was it a part of your relationship with a family member? Did it change over time?</li> <li>Do you find yourself engaging in so-called “ retail therapy?”  Does it help? Have you found something that helps more?</li> <li>Are you addicted to bargains and deals? Have you found a non-shopping way to scratch that itch?</li