>
>whereas some of these ideals (owning this car, wearing these
>jewels, drinking this liquor etc) are held up as the ultimate
>goals in life.. better than getting an education, supporting
>your family, or just creating something positive in your
>life/family/community.

Ok, I take your point. However, if one is to believe the media effects argument, advocating violence in lyrics is going to fill the local prisons whereas promoting Big-Macs is only going to fill the local fast-food outlet..

Anyway, the I realise that this violence/materialism dichotomy did not constitute the thrust of your original post. Have you read 'No Logo'?

A titbit...

'At the beginning of the decade, these self-styled in-school broadcasters (K-111 Communications, the Youth News Network) approached North American school boards with a proposition. They asked them to open their classrooms to two minutes of tv advertising a day, sandwiched between twelve minutes of teenybopper current affairs programming. Many schools consented, and the broadcasts soon aired. Turning off the cheerful ad patter is not an option. Not only is the programming mandatory viewing for students, but teachers are unable to adjust the volume of the broadcast, especially during commercials' pg. 89