The next time you read the news or scroll through social media or watch a TV ad or flip through a magazine, ask yourself what core beliefs are being reinforced, and why. Notice how you feel. If you’re feeling lost, a little pessimistic, and unsure who you are and what you want, you can rest assured that at least some of that feeling has been introduced to you by the media. It sounds sinister, but it’s true: the ideal customer, reader, app-user (or even voter) is one who feels bad about themselves, and who doesn’t really know what they want. Why? Because these are the people who can be told what they want.