Profiling Corporate America's Virtue Signalers

Your Corporate Moral Superiors

Superbowl 51 was by far the best football game in Superbowl history, or at least the best one I saw with my very own eyes.  The triumphant come back, the game going into overtime, and the crowning of Tom Brady as the greatest football player ever, made the game historic.  However, Superbowl 51 was historic in another regard - its commercials.  Specifically, never had Superbowl commercials been so political, so biased to the left, and so sopping full of virtue signaling.

At first, imbuing politics into marketing doesn't seem to be a wise strategy.  Politics (regardless of which side you choose) is going to alienate half your potential market.  Politics has no place in selling lumber, cars, or anything else for that matter.  And it's impolite.  People want to watch a game, a show, or some other form of entertainment and needn't their solace and free time ruined with politics.  But Superbowl 51's commercials were merely the latest example of an increasing trend where corporations have been oddly deciding to force politics into their marketing in an attempt to win over customers.

The question is why.

And my question is "who is doing this?"

The "why" is not only easy to answer, but important, because on top of it being annoying to be lectured by sanctimonious corporations, we need to know what's going on behind the scenes and why, all of the sudden, corporations deem it their position to lecture the American public about politics.  Usually that's the domain of politicians, tyrants, activists, and other people aiming to rule over and parasite off of you.  So when corporations do it the hair on the back of your neck should go up out of simple self respect and self-survival.  But what you'll find out is (thankfully) there is no malicious intent on the part of corporations to rule over you, but rather that they are being headed up by idiots who think virtue signaling in marketing is a good idea.  And these people are nothing more than rank, indoctrinated sheep, following their political programming they received in school, and are too stupid and common to pose any intentional threat.

Why?

Understand the phenomenon of leftist virtue signaling politics being imbued into marketing is the unintentional byproduct of socialist political brainwashing Generation X received from academia during their collegiate years in the 90's, and the millennials continue to receive to this day.  I remember it very clearly because I was there when concepts like "diversity" and "going green" were first being shoved down our throats in about 1994 and by 1997 concepts like "Corporate Social Responsibility" were being floated in the business school.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND because previous to 1994 such concepts were not part of academia, let alone business school as (presumably) businesses would not be concerned about people's politics, the environment, virtue signaling, etc., as they would be concerned about real world issues such as profits, accounting, marketing, etc.- things that were vital and required to operate a business.  In other words, concepts like diversity, privilege, CSR, etc., had no demand or call for in the real world and were purely the concoctions and creations of worthless theoretical hacks posing as business professors (and professors at large). 

Normally this would not matter as, in theory, Generation X would enter the real world and the cute pet theories of hack socialist professors would be disregarded as the demands of the real world would prove them to be worthless.  But there were three variables that not only allowed such concepts to survive, but become the philosophical bedrock of Generation X and the millennials...and ultimately the corporations they would go on to infect.

Consistency, universality, and time.

It wasn't as if academia called it quits in 1998 when most corporations were balking at the opportunity to set up unnecessary and expensive CSR departments.  Academia and academics continued to preach leftist politics, environmentalism, and feminism in all facets and disciplines in colleges and universities.  And since nearly ALL Gen X'ers and Millennials were being forced to go to college, and since nearly ALL of them were weak-minded sheeple, academia had the perfect host to install their leftist, virtue signaling theories in them over the next 20 years.  And though in 1998 Gen X were mere entry-level plebs in the world of Corporate America, in 20 years time they would rise to the rank of mid, even executive level management....

which is where we are today.

This has resulted in quasi (albeit unconscious) Manchurian candidates in positions of power in the previously non-leftist-infected world of Corporate America.  And since leftists in academia have been consistent, it also means they have successfully brainwashed a consumer generation - the millennials - in that same leftist, feminist, glass ceiling, virtue signaling philosophy.  This is only made worse for the fate of the country by two facts.

1.  The life philosophy Gen X and the Millennials have is of zero value to themselves and society.  Normally college and education, certainly the real world, would have taught them a skill, a work ethic, production and the importance of producing something of value for society.  This would lead to economic growth, progress, advancement, and increased standards of living.  However, leftist virtue signaling has no value whatsoever.  It is a zero-calorie life philosophy where simply advocating and "signaling" the politically correct and approved positions is deemed enough to replace real purpose and agency in life.  And since it takes absolutely NO EFFORT OR LABOR to do, it is the preferred religion and life ideology of the weak minded.

This is why it's no surprise most Millennials have no meaningful form of employment, no meaningful lives, no real future life plans, and no meaningful people in their lives.  It's also why Gen X is just now finally paying off their student loans, maybe recovering from the housing crisis, are nowhere near where their WWII counterparts were at this age, and are just as good at divorce as their Baby Boomer predecessors.  You have two full generations of wasted crops that are of zero value to society.

But, understand through their eyes it's all OK and all is forgiven because of their effortless and laborless belief in...

choose your flavor of virtue signaling

I'm going green
I recycle
the glass ceiling
I'm for equality
I'm for the poor
I'm for the old
I'm for the children
I'm against white males
I have white guilt
I acknowledge my privilege
Diversity
etc. etc. etc.


2.  Bar the Baby Boomer generation and what remnants of the WWII generation remain, the entire country is thoroughly steeped and indoctrinated in this new and worthless religion.  The academic left has successfully convinced a majority of the population that their mere, pathetic, and ultimately worthless political beliefs are a substitute for genuine work, accomplishment, achievement, sacrifice, agency, purpose, and love for their fellow man.  It is a religion so thorough, and so universal, that likes, political positions, and political posturing are more important than having a job, having a family, and having respect for yourself.  And so, now that real purpose and reason in life has been replaced with a leftist religion, and most of these people literally have nothing else in life, it makes pandering and virtue signaling to leftists the perfect marketing tool for Corporate America.

In short, it is no different than the US interstate system.  The academic left has (I still believe unintentionally) laid down a system, a philosophical/religious infrastructure of which now the majority of the population subscribes to and drives on.  And no matter how worthless, wrong or damaging, there is an economies of scale efficiency to take advantage of it, and Corporate America, now headed up by true believers itself, is fully intending to do so.  Ergo it doesn't matter that politics does NOT belong in advertising.  It does not matter that socialist policies are antithetical to corporate profits.  It doesn't matter that you'll risk alienating whites, males, or legal citizens, or even the sovereignty of the country itself.  It's a religion believed from the heads of CSR and marketing departments, all the way down to the 6 year old getting his or her first dose of leftist political indoctrination by his politically correct teachers about global warming.

Who?

So who are these people now heading up corporations, fully intending to avail themselves of the leftist indoctrination highway infrastructure?  Are they evil masterminds?  Are they the next generations of George Soroses?  Are they cutting edge visionaries who have insights into the minds of the American public nobody else has?

Unfortunately, no.  It's quite the opposite actually.  There's very little individuality, intelligence, and visionary thinking going on.  It's nothing but a bunch of mindless conformists who have the same worthless marketing and diversity degrees, spewing the same bland "pro-diversity" "you go girl" pablum they've been programmed to since the 90's.  There's nothing new, there's nothing unique, and it's damning proof corporate America, especially under Gen Xer's leadership, are plumb fresh out of ideas, innovation, or intelligence. 

Ergo we can reliably predict the boring demographic profile of this herd of sheep.  They're predominantly Gen X.  They're predominantly in worthless soft fields such as marketing, general business management, (or blatantly political and worse), CSR, or "diversity."  Very few if none will be actual producers (engineers, accountants, doctors, etc.).  And if there's any availability of their politics, you'll find them to have the politically correct and approved leftist political beliefs their indoctrinators told them to have in the 1990's.  Alas, when we compile a list of marketing, CSR, HR, and (heaven help you if your wasting the shareholder's money on this) "diversity" heads of companies that are the most ardent of corporate virtue signalers, you will clearly see the trend and understand why corporations have decided to lecture you about politics.

Salesforce.com

If you don't know about Salesforce.com, that's alright, it's an unprofitable firm that has never turned a profit.  However, Salesforce.com did make news when it's CEO, Marc Benioff, announced it would create a CEO position.  Not a "Chief Executive Officer" position, but a "Chief EQUALITY Officer" position.  Here, the new "CEO" is not the actual virtue signaling culprit (he's actually quite an accomplished gentleman from Microsoft), but Marc Benioff himself.  If you look at his background, again, Gen X, general business degree, a sales and marketing background, and his resume speaks more about changing society than...well...turning a bleeping profit.  Again, his politics of virtue signaling is more important than reality, a triumphant accomplishment of the left.

Lumber 84

Though on the cusp of Gen X/Young Baby Boomer, Maggie Hardy Magerko - now CEO of Lumber 84 - is the one responsible for the blatantly pro-illegal alien, anti-US sovereignty ad that (I personally hope) bankrupts Lumber 84.  Though she claims she is pro-Trump and didn't think the commercial would be controversial, again she fits the profile.  A milquetoast degree in "business administration," an older Gen X'er, and the luxury of not having to live in the real world because she inherited the company from her father.

Target

Who can forget Target and their "can-see-it-from-a-million-miles-away" virtue signaling when it came to transgendered bathrooms?  There was no problem to solve.  Transgendered people had been using bathrooms just fine for years with no major complaints or problems.  But that's not enough for Target's corporate virtue signaling culture.  They needed to do something, and damn the shareholders' profits if we have to!


The truth is Target has always been on the forefront of corporate virtue signaling.  If you shop there you'll be reminded constantly that they donate 5% of pre-tax profits to the community.  You'll also be reminded of diversity as nearly all of their models are not white (even in the whitest parts of Minnesota), their CSR department looks like a 1990's Burger King Kids Club rainbow coalition special, and though not personally responsible for Target's unrivaled track record in virtue signaling, their "Executive Vice President and Chief External Engagement Officer" - Laysha Ward - is the epitome of what this article is talking about.  Journalism degree, "Masters in in Social Work," and a resume of touchy feel good non-profit "work" that hasn't done a single thing to genuinely help minorities or women.  Then again, Target is not interested in genuinely helping minorities and women.  They are interested, however, in virtue signal marketing to the equally brainwashed, suburbanite sheeple Gen X soccer moms so as to get them to buy an indulgence from "Diversity Rich Target" to forgive them of their white guilt.

Coca Cola

Coke, like Target, has been an early adapter corporate virtue signaler.  Though not explicitly political in their ads, their ads always had the leftist kumbaya, hipster, hippie, ski-bum-parasite, globalist feel to it.  So one cannot personally blame Coke's new marketing director - Melanie Clark - for their historical track record.  But Ms. Clark's background again precisely fits the profile.  Gen X, worthless BA in business administration, a masters in "marketing," and the obligatory conferred (and many) "women's awards" in any modern day woman's CV.  She may not have come up with Coke's "America the Beautiful" Super Bowl ad, but I'm sure she'll come up with something similar next year.

Audi

Now sit down, because I don't want to shock you, but have you ever heard of this before?  This "glass ceiling?"

Have you heard of it?

There's also this thing called "the wage gap."

I know!  Crazy stuff!  Who's EVER heard of these things before???

But just incase you HAVEN'T heard of these things before...constantly....repeatedly...for the past 20 years, don't worry!  Loren Angelo of Audi is here to remind you.

In charge of Audi's American marketing I surmise he is ultimately responsible for reminding Americans (again) of just how oppressed and bad women have it here in the US.  He's also here to remind you men that you are personally responsible for this oppression because you oppress American women everyday. And if you didn't know that, don't worry, Audi's latest Super Bowl commercial will remind you.  He may have gotten help from Christine Gaspar, Audi America's HR/Diversity head (replete with liberal arts degree), but the point is moot.  Both fit the profile previously established.

Worthless degrees (marketing, psychology).
No real production (sales, non-profits, soft sciences, no calculus)
Gen X

and (given the dislike ratio on Audi's Super Bowl commercial)

a preference for their prescribed politics from the 90's over reality, profits, and courtesy not to lecture people about politics.

Lyft

And finally there's Logan Green.  I don't want to incriminate the innocent hard working men and women of Lyft when this epitome of Corporate Virtue Signaling is such a virtue signaler he needs a cape, but Logan Green is everything this article is about. 

A worthless degree in economics, a background in public sector transportation work, he simply got lucky with the technology allowing him to form the second largest, and not profitable, ridesharing company.  But what angers me is the intellectually dishonest shenanigans Lyft played on Uber when Uber made a tweet that surge pricing was turned off during a taxi cab strike at an airport so its clients would know they could still get to the airport.  You want to talk about lack of innovation, creativity, or just plan inability to come up with a superior service, and then substituting a virtue signaling arms race in its stead?  I give you the poster child of Corporate American Virtue Signaling - Logan Green. 

Follow the Corporate CSR Virtue Signaling Road

We could go on, and there will certainly be no shortage of future corporate virtue signaling in the future, but if you want to understand why corporations find it their right to moralize and lecture you about politics, merely trace who is in charge of their marketing, HR, CSR, or diversity departments.  Chances are you will see robotic, Gen X, Manchurian candidates forcing their politics into the operations of the firm because they literally do not know any better.  I don't care what degrees they have from whatever "prestigious" business school, they are automatons who lack the ability to think, and because of this default to the programming they received by socialist social engineers in the 90's.  Instead of coming up with genuinely creative marketing campaigns, or (here's a crazy thought) coming up with products people will willingly pay for, they unimaginatively resort to relying on the leftist-virtue-signaling-infrastructure that has been laid down for the past 20 years.  The only REAL way to get these moralizing crusaders and proselytizers to stop is to stop buying their products, boycott them, and do it en mass enough that the executives have to choose between their 90's political-religion or bankruptcy.

Of course that would require independent thought...
And of course, self-respect...
And a spine to inconvenience yourself not to buy a Starbucks coffee...
Which most non-leftist people don't have...
And most of the population is brainwashed into the religion of Virtue Signaling...
And the schools are still mass producing these virtue signaling sheep...

So never mind.  Expect Super Bowl LII's ads to be just as insulting, degrading, and moralizing as Super Bowl LI.  And for the rest of you who do have the slightest modicum of independent thought and self-respect, Enjoy the Decline!
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