The Ethical Optimist

I’m amazed at the amount of publicity Snickers and GM are getting over their ill-fated SuperBowl advertisements and wonder if their communications teams are high-fiving one another, or in peril of losing their jobs. I suspect it’s the former.

I cannot help but wonder which is worse, the slightly insensitive, but…let’s face it…funny commercial aired by Masterfoods, or the complete intolerance fostered on the public and news media by their detractors.

You heard me…intolerance. Only not from the Masterfood’s camp, but rather from so called anti-defamation groups.

Come on…when did we stop laughing at ourselves and at human nature. As I watched the spot with a group of family and friends (some of whom are gay), we all just chuckled and moved on.

It’s about context, yet no one is taking that into account. In fact, I think the attacks and media surrounding them are somewhat irresponsible.

I mean, really, accusing a robot of fostering suicide?! Is it just me or have we gone off the deep end?

Frankly, there are much more relevant targets for these folks to chase. So, I have to ask, are their attacks motivated by genuine concern or the fact that by attacking a SuperBowl ad they are much more likely to get national media coverage? Who’s being ethical now?

I’m all for ethics and social responsibility, but frankly, there are m