Kant, Harry Frankfort, etc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Kant, Harry Frankfort, etc - Essay Example Going by this logic Galbraith refutes the fact that production is done to satisfy wants since most of the times it is production that creates wants. Demands of consumers can have immoral roots but still that becomes valid reason in the society for production. However, Galbraith questions this validity since production which is the method of fulfilling wants itself becomes creator of demand. He compares this situation with â€Å"the efforts of the squirrel to keep abreast of the wheel that is propelled by his own efforts† (Galbraith, 135). Galbraith has established advertising and promotions as reflection of this direct link between production and demand. One major objective of advertising, as per Galbraith, is to create demand for a product even if that demand did not previously exist. The emphasis lies on enhancing advertising budget if the producers want to arouse consumer interest for their products. Thus, Galbraith concludes that demands which are created by strategic pers uasion of advertisements cannot be very urgent (Galbraith, 136). Hayek confirms that consumers will not have demand for something if it never was produced like no one can demand for a non-existent thing. Hayek has agreed with one part of Galbraith’s argument, i.e. demands are urgent only when they are inherent. However, Hayek considers inherent demands as those which are associated with basic needs of humans like food and shelter. Needs for other products originate only when people see and observe other people using and enjoying them. Thus, it is the cultural environment that creates desire and so Hayek does not agree with Galbraith’s theory that demands are not urgent if they are not inherent as this theory invalidates the â€Å"whole cultural achievement of man† (Hayek, 1). Moreover, Hayek believes that hardly any demands are absolute and all demands are â€Å"acquired tastes† since demand for most goods â€Å"produce feelings