Plato and Reality

One of the chapters in Morgan's Images of Organization that I am reminded of when marketing is discussed is the chapter on Organizations as Psychic Prisons where Morgan discusses Plato's cave and what people see and believe is reality (the shadows on the wall of the cave) vs what is the true reality outside the cave. 

I think part of successful marketing includes helping consumers see that true reality and helping them break away from the faux reality of the shadows they may see. 

On page 208 Morgan (2006) writes, "if one of the inhabitants were allowed to leave the cave, he would realize that the shadows are just reflection of a more complex reality and that the knowledge and perceptions of his fellow cave dwellers are distorted and flawed."

Our professor brought up the petrochemical and oil industry and auto companies during our discussion and that always invigorates me. At the moment we can all see the incredible transition going on within our society regarding the oil industry and what powers our vehicles. It is the role of the marketing professional in the petrochemical industry to help consumers realize that there is more to the oil industry than moving cars and trucks. 

The petrochemical industry produces plastics that make so many goods lighter and more durable than previous versions, and medical equipment and safe coatings that would not be around with the byproducts of the oil industry. Lubricants, asphalts and textiles are also byproducts of the oil industry. So often the oil industry gets a bad reputation because all the consumer sees are the shadows on the wall, rather than the more complex reality of all the good things that come from petrochemical refining that make our modern world easier to live in. 

Reference

Morgan, G. (2006). Images of Organization (Updated Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.