Comments on: “Let your X do the Y” http://usablewords.com/blog/let-your-x-do-the-y/ Language and writing on the web and beyond Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:53:07 +0000 hourly 1 By: Angus Gordon http://usablewords.com/blog/let-your-x-do-the-y/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Angus Gordon Wed, 28 May 2008 12:22:40 +0000 http://usablewords.com/blog/2008/03/13/let-your-x-do-the-y/#comment-5 Thanks for being the inaugural commenter John! Interesting thoughts. Of course the attribution of human qualities to commodities is as old as capitalism itself (at least that's what Marx would say). But maybe there has been a spike in anthropomorphism lately, a bit like in the 50s when we were going to get robots who did the vacuuming etc. I probably lack the skills to do a proper historical analysis of this. But I won't let that stop me of course. I will think some more about it. Thanks for being the inaugural commenter John!

Interesting thoughts. Of course the attribution of human qualities to commodities is as old as capitalism itself (at least that’s what Marx would say). But maybe there has been a spike in anthropomorphism lately, a bit like in the 50s when we were going to get robots who did the vacuuming etc. I probably lack the skills to do a proper historical analysis of this. But I won’t let that stop me of course. I will think some more about it.

]]> By: john http://usablewords.com/blog/let-your-x-do-the-y/comment-page-1/#comment-4 john Mon, 26 May 2008 15:19:06 +0000 http://usablewords.com/blog/2008/03/13/let-your-x-do-the-y/#comment-4 Interesting stuff. I'd like you to do a post on all the ads which apply a kind of fanciful anthropomorphic agency to the product in question, for instance the NRMA's cars and houses which protect themselves, or the ad I heard the other day suggesting that one day in the future, your car will know where the cheapest petrol is ... but until then, you'd better use [our product or service]. I don't know if it's the sheer flight of fancy that's supposed to grab our attention, or if they think they're tapping into some well of desire for cars and homes which take care of themselves. Interesting stuff. I’d like you to do a post on all the ads which apply a kind of fanciful anthropomorphic agency to the product in question, for instance the NRMA’s cars and houses which protect themselves, or the ad I heard the other day suggesting that one day in the future, your car will know where the cheapest petrol is … but until then, you’d better use [our product or service].

I don’t know if it’s the sheer flight of fancy that’s supposed to grab our attention, or if they think they’re tapping into some well of desire for cars and homes which take care of themselves.

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