one comment: growing up, we have Pathmark groceries, with the "generic" aisle of all (literally) white labeled products. It was depressing and uninspiring.
Yeah, I also find it depressing. I think it's conditioning from exposure to advertising, though. It's good to be rich and bad to be poor, and if you're poor, you can't afford name brand stuff. So open your wallet and impress your friends with NAME BRAND BAKING SODA. WHOA WOW! I'm not sure it's objectively depressing to not be able to choose from 300 brands of household essentials, but the explosion of color and creativity and eye-popping packaging that's the result of multiple companies competing is certainly a sensory experience.
one comment: growing up, we have Pathmark groceries, with the "generic" aisle of all (literally) white labeled products. It was depressing and uninspiring.