We live in a world that has transformed us all into consumers. By definition, a consumer is someone who buys a product or a service for himself/herself. That is to say, a consumer is the end user.
This definition may be technically ideal, but it is defective and deceptive in my opinion. That is because in this definition, a certain agency is granted to the consumer as end-user. In my opinion, the reality is vastly different though.
The market forces are such that as the end user we are left with very few informed choices. The market believes in utmost simplification, and uses very persuasive technologies, mostly in the form of advertising but basically as opinion making formats which mould our very mindsets, thus disabling our genuine choices.
This fact holds good in every field, food to fashion to education. Look at how subtly career choices are chosen for us! Much worse is the case of educational technologies. The IPEM or the Byju's can be good examples of this phenomenon.
The persuasion power is so subtle and severe that those who do not adhere to it or do not fall prey to it are subtly and viciously targetted, literally made to feel outcast. Necessary, however, is to stand up to these, and such, pressures for the health of both, the individual and the polity. Long live consumer rights!
Pratima@ And that would be a fair judgement! 'Daniel come to justice' as Shakespeare would say!
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