Do You like book The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way To Understand Why People Around The World Live And Buy As They Do (2006)?
This book explores the idea that different cultures (he fixates almost exclusively on American culture) have different internal meanings for certain concepts, and that in order to successfully understand a culture (and market products to them, for example) you have to understand the codes for the different concepts. Many of these I agree with, but there are a few that don't make sense to me (personally, though I can accept his explanation). He came to these conclusions after long periods with focus groups and read between the lines of people's associations with concepts. Rapaille was born and raised in France but he moved to the US in the 1970s(?) and identifies himself as American but also is well aware of cultural differences (as, I suppose, anyone living in two countries would be). He views America as an "adolescent" culture since we're a relatively new nation that has continually received an influx of immigrants to populate it, and that seems to have an effect on some of our culture coding.It seems weird to hide non-fiction content under a spoiler tag, but here goes.(view spoiler)[The American code for toilet paper is INDEPENDENCE (independence from mom and dad in toilet-training)The American code for cars is IDENTITY (people want theirs to stand out and be unique)The American code for love is FALSE EXPECTATION (not sure if I agree, but the idea is that love is a dream or fantasy that fails to live up to the hype... think of American romantic comedies)The American code for seduction is MANIPULATIONThe American code for sex is VIOLENCE (a throwback to our adolescent and Puritanical roots, sex is scary and troubling to Americans)The American code for beauty is MAN'S SALVATION (like Pretty Woman or Beauty and the Beast)The American code for fat is CHECKING OUT (giving up, trying to become repulsive, or to blame shortcomings on something "outside of one's control." Becoming passive instead of active, no longer taking responsibility for one's situation.)The American code for health is MOVEMENT (people are always busy and bustling with activity, and a lack of activity must mean there is something with you.)The American code for doctor is HERO and for nurse is MOTHERThe American code for hospital is PROCESSING PLANT (sterile, dehumanizing and a place where the inactive go)The American code for youth is MASK (something you wear instead of your actual age... as part of an adolescent culture, you want to remain young as long as possible since age is not valued.)The American code for home is "Re-" (being able to do something again and again, routines, traditions and such)The American code for dinner is ESSENTIAL CIRCLE (the food itself doesn't matter, but the camaraderie definitely does)The American code for work is WHO YOU ARE (identity is tied up in a job/occupation, which is why people who have been laid off or are unemployed feel like nobodies)The American code for money is PROOF (validation, rank, proof of one's legitimacy in their work, which dovetails well with the "who you are" of work.)The American code for quality is IT WORKS (if it does what it's supposed to when it's supposed to, that's good enough for us)The American code for perfection is DEATH (not sure if I agree, but the idea is that if something is perfect you never need to replace it or move on and the forward march of health is stopped.)The American code for food is FUEL (along the lines of health being movement, fill up your tank and get going.)The American code for alcohol is GUN (it's dangerous and adult and scary... not sure if I totally agree with the choice of word but I understand the sentiment he's trying to convey)The American code for shopping is RECONNECTING WITH LIFEThe American code for luxury is MILITARY STRIPES (pretty much along the same lines of money = proof, luxury is also tangible proof of rank or of hard work.)The American code for America is DREAM. (hide spoiler)]
—Melanie
This intriguing book by Clotaire Rapaille posits an interesting premise; that very often we prefer or purchase things for reasons not apparent to our rational minds. OK, actually we all kind of know that, but his analysis and findings are revealing. His background as a psychoanalyst in Paris working with autistic children turned out to be a goldmine when he developed a clientele of Fortune 500 companies. His skills were ideal for getting past the answers from the conscious mind ("alibis", which also matter) so often garnered in market research, and delving into what he calls "the reptilian mind," where the earliest experiences are recorded, as well as the emotions attached to them. Rapaille considers these emotions to be of prime importance, because the emotions determine our preferences, even for such mundane items as cars and coffee.Rapaille explains that these imprints are not only individual, but also cultural, and these cultural imprints have codes that bring the emotions associated with these imprints to the fore. If you tap into the code, you can use it to sell a product. Naturally, all this is presented with compelling evidence. If these ideas intrigue you, consider reading The Culture Code.
—Gayle
Rapaille argues that America, and by extension, our culture is an adolescent nation. Not only in age, but also in the things we love - fast food, blue jeans, loud and violent movies, Coca Cola, Nike, etc. The author argues that it also explains our fascination with celebrities and the adolscent mistakes they always seem to be making. America is a nation of extremes - rich vs. poor, liberal vs. conservative, etc. Just like adolescents, we're either high or low; there is no middle ground. After this introduction and new way of looking at things, Rapaille discusses different "culture codes" he was consulted to identify by various companies such as Proctor and Gamble, L'Oreal, and others. They seem a little off the wall when they're first revealed, but the author makes a fairly convincing argument for them in most cases. Case in point - the code for alcohol in America is gun. We view alcohol as something that needs to be carefully controlled lest it cause unintended consequences. The consequences of not handling it with respect can be disastrous, if not fatal. Overall, it was an interesting read, if for nothing more than to think about how I think about things. I especially liked when the author discussed how different cultures view themselves and others (i.e. the French view Americans and "space travelers") and how businesses can use this POV to be more successful in marketing their products abroad. Nothing earth-shattering here, but interesting nonetheless.
—Ashley