I AM about to make a broad plea, purely for reactionary purposes. Its prerogative would, if sanctioned, change not only the aesthetic landscape of the world around us, but the very operation of our subconscious minds. Please — let’s ban advertising.

On its surface, a commercial advertisement must accomplish two things. First, convey to the viewer that life isn’t good enough, and could be better. Second, furthermore convince said viewer that it’s their new marketed reality that will bring about positive change.

My favourite example of advertising baring its soul is L’Oréal’s all-too-familiar campaign slogan, “because you’re worth it.” This is the ne plus ultra of commercial PR; both a quiet admission that you won’t be truly “worth it” until you commit capital to a particular product, and an utterance of total individualism; the only way you can become “worth it” is by yourself, not as part of a collective body.