Rituals - Short bites. Episode #1- Martina Olbertova on Conscious Rituals

Name: Rituals - Short bites. Episode #1- Martina Olbertova on Conscious Rituals
Uploaded: 2019-10-21T21:57:24+00:00
Duration: 2 min 27 s
Channel: Virginie Glaenzer
Description: In this interview segment, Virginie Glaenzer asks Martina Olbertova about the ethical implications of marketers and brands creating rituals to influence…

21 Oct 2019 · 2 min

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2:27

In this interview segment, Virginie Glaenzer asks Martina Olbertova about the ethical implications of marketers and brands creating rituals to influence human behavior. Martina reflects on the dual nature of such practices, noting that influencing behavior can be a natural, even evolutionary, form of persuasion, but it can also be manipulative. She distinguishes between conscious rituals—custom behaviors with symbolic value that individuals actively choose because they provide personal meaning, identity, or a sense of belonging—and unconscious, mindless rituals that operate on autopilot without clear benefit. Martina argues that when rituals are entered into consciously and enhance well‑being or group identity, they are positive; when they are performed unconsciously without clear benefit, they can be detrimental. The conversation frames the ethical question around the level of awareness and intentionality behind ritual creation and participation.

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What do you think, Martina? You're really focused on meaning, so do you see an ethical issue in marketers creating meanings in rituals in an attempt to change people's behaviors? And actually, here's another question for the greater good. Can we, can a brand create a ritual to change human behaviors for the greater good? Like making people feel friendly. Sorry.
As Jonathan was speaking, I just started silently wondering what else I can add because he's saying exactly everything that I wanted to say. Because our perspectives are so incredibly aligned, and especially as we did this podcast together last year, this Human Business. So it became really merged. So let me think if I can say something else. Yeah, I also do see this duality between manipulation or persuasion or the ability to sell or, you know, put our best face on as sort of a very natural thing to do. You even see it in nature as a part of the mating process. It's like a very natural thing for human beings to do. But also equally, there is a good and bad side of the ritual. So, and I would actually ascribe it more to consciousness. So if we are consciously aware of the rituals that we partake in, and I would see a ritual as a sort of a custom behavior that has some kind of symbolic value for us. Or personal significance. So if we derive value from it, then it's conscious behavior that we partake in to make ourselves feel better, to give ourselves a sense of identity, or to belong in a larger group of people, then by all means, I would see a ritual as a good thing. If it's something that we do mindlessly on autopilot, unconsciously almost, as a part of, you know, just functioning day to day in the culture, but we don't really ask ourselves the question, why are we actually doing this? Does it have a positive benefit for ourselves, for identity, for our behavior, where we're going? Then I would see it more as a negative thing.