鈥淭HIS book is an attempt to explore a strange and rather exotic new area of American life. It is about the large-scale efforts being made, often with impressive success, to channel our unthinking habits, our purchasing decisions, and our thought processes.鈥�
So begins , Vance Packard鈥檚 bestselling 1957 expos茅 of how advertisers use 鈥渕otivational research鈥� to tap into consumers鈥� psyches. A like-minded tract today might begin much the same way 鈥� but target Silicon Valley鈥檚 algorithms (see 鈥�Pocket decider: How your phone shapes your choices鈥�) rather than Madison Avenue鈥檚 ads.
Such books exist, but suggests that they may struggle to effect change. His revelations caused a stir, but consumers ultimately proved unbothered 鈥� anti-consumerism types might say complacent 鈥� about wiles such as buyer polls and focus groups.
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Activists now seek to unmask online 鈥渉idden persuaders鈥� with high-tech tools: that reveal how your web surfing is tracked, for example. Whether these will prove more persuasive than The Hidden Persuaders remains to be seen.
