“You can tell the ideas of a nation by its advertisements.” - GMAT 1

In this fast growing world, everyone talks about business. How to sell the business? We count on advertisements, by TV, internet, newspaper or simple flyers. Advertisement exists in every corner of our life. Is this enough for us to say that we can tell the ideas of a nation by its advertisement? I am afraid not. Intuitively, ideas of a nation are a very large concept, covering politics, military services, healthcare system, and education and so on. It is hard to be exhibited as advertisement.

Actually, the aspects of ideas of a nation do appear as advertisement. We can find commercials about the president candidate talks about their political opinions on TV and try to collect more votes; military commercials encourage younger generation to join the army with promised scholarship or other benefits; insurance company sells their plans with appealing advantage and schools try to have more applicants by showing either online education opportunity or strong faulty members. Yes, advertisement goes to and influences our daily lives. However it is only part of the nation. We can not tell the crux or ideas of a nation by it.

There comes a time in every presidential campaign when the political parties attack the media. During election campaign, candidates exhibit those political ideas on TV. What can we related it to idea of nation? Politicians are trying to involve into show business? Of course not. The ideas that they expressed is about their personal thought. Even they become the president of America; it is still a long way for us to see their opinions or ideas to put into practice.

We can find a lot of advertisement of online education opportunity in TV or internet. Can you conclude about the internet usage and people's education preference by that? Actually, there are a high percentage of people that does not use internet at all. And people still tend to go to school physically to build networks and have more team discussion. Online education is for the people who is currently working and do not have the time to go to school.

Recruiting is extremely important during war. But we can still see such military commercials at peaceful time. Also the promised scholarship may only attract some people. We can not neglect the fact that a lot of young people really want to contribute to their nation.

Last, no matter how attractive the insurance commercials are, sick healthcare system can not be cured easily. We can choose a good health insurance, but we still struggle to pay taxes when the social security benefit can not be guaranteed. All the vivid plans are built on surface and for short term period. The nations' inclination to rebuild the healthcare system is the main point.

Obviously, advertisement can really tell us what the interests of the population, since a business is built on the tentative buyers. But the buyers can not stand for the whole population, which exert influences on the ideas of the nation. Thus we can not tell ideas of a nation by mere advertisement.