I read "Why Johnny Can't Dissent" by Thomas Frank right after I finished my paper on masculinity in advertisements. I found that what Thomas Frank wrote about was very similar to some of the point I make in my paper (using masculinity to promote a product). My first paper was on the Viagra ad above. I argued that this ad persuaded a man who had Erectile Dysfunction that he had lost his masculinity, and Viagra was his only answer to restoring his masculinity. This would make a man feel like he has also regained his power and dominance, putting him in a different category from the men who have not restored their masculinity. This is very similar to some of Thomas Franks’ arguments. An ad that tells people to “break the rules” or “resist the usual” can make them feel powerful and better than everyone else; therefore they are going to be the ones leading the new conformist group. I believe that there are conformist waves. People see the newest and greatest product and buy it because they will be “cool” and “different,” and they will lead the new conformist wave. As soon as a new product comes out though, it is a race to see who can be the new “first.”