Show me the money

The article "Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption" was somewhat interesting with its use of examples of TV shows and companies that I recognize, but it was quite dry. The author seemed to be stating the same thing over and over and I had to keep checking what I was reading.
But the points that were brought up, about how the media does give the public the idea of what we "should be" wearing, doing, driving, and living in. My younger brothers are constantly asking for new clothes, toys, cell phones, iPods, etc; because whoever is on the Disney channel has one. Maybe we aren't so far away from the early television shows as we thought we were. I feel lucky I don't have a TV. I guess...