Maria​: All rise. The Court of Fornos School is now in session.

Honorable Judge Maria and

Alexandre presiding. We will now start with the opening statements of this case.

Rodrigo​: Your Honor, members of the jury, my name is Rodrigo and I represent the prosecution
in this case. We intend to prove that consumerism is damaging to society. When you have
heard all the facts, please decide a verdict of guilty.

Tiago​: Your Honor, members of the jury, my name is Tiago and I represent the defense in this
case. We intend to prove that consumer culture has given society a greater quality of life. When
you have heard all the facts, please decide a verdict of non guilty.

Maria​: Before starting the direct examinations of both parts, all witnesses need to be sworn
before​ they can begin this trial.

Lara, please raise your right hand. Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth?”

Lara​: Yes I do.

João, please raise your right hand. Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth?

João​: Yes I do.

Maria​: After the oath, we can now proceed. We will now start with the direct examinations. I call
Rodrigo, who is representing the Prosecution case and his witness, Lara.

R: Lara, is it true that you are a mother of a 5 year old?

L: Yes, it is.

R: May I ask you what’s his name?

L: His name is Peter.

R: Oh Peter! What a lovely name. I myself am a parent of a 5 year old, and I know how tough it
is. Such a beautiful age though… The start of kindergarten is a beautiful process. Anyways,
getting back to the questions. Has John ever asked you to buy him something really specific?

L: Yes, he did.

R: May I ask you what specifically did he request?

L: He told me he wanted a brand new Hot Wheels car.

R: Ahm, interesting. How did he manage to find out about that specific car?
L: He found out about that specific model by watching an advertisement on TV. With all the
COVID restrictions and the quarantine I couldn’t really keep up with the information he received
since he spent so much time on the TV watching the school classes.

R: Did you buy him that car?

L: At first I didn’t.

R: Could you please elaborate on that?

L: I wasn’t planning on getting him the car. Eventually I gave in.

R: Why did you give in into the pressure of buying him that car?

L: I gave in because he put on a giant tantrum. I lost control of his behaviour and I couldn’t find
a way to calm him down. As we were in a quarantine period, I spent most of my time with him
around the house and he acted very angry for weeks until I gave in.

R: You were talking that that process occurred during the COVID crisis. May I ask you what
financial status you had back then?

L: Things were rough with the COVID. As soon as the quarantine started I was fired from my
job, and since I was working in a precarious job I didn’t have any right to get funds to sustain my
economic conditions. I didn’t have a backup plan either, since I couldn’t save up money from my
old job.

R: Did you have any support during this crisis?

L: No, I didn’t. I am a single mother and I lost contact with almost all of my family members, due
to personal reasons.

R: So, it wouldn’t be incorrect to assume that the purchase of that toy made your life even
harder, right? As in, even though with low funds you had to manage to buy that toy to make your
child go back to his normal behaviour.

L: Yes, that is correct.

R: Based on that, I would even go further and assume that, the simple advertisement made you

R: With no further questions, I rest my case.

Alexandre​: Tiago, as a defense attorney do you have any questions you want to ask to
Rodrigo’s witness?

Tiago​: Yes I do.

Tiago​: Lara, you told us here during this court session that you ordered a brand new toy for
your child. Is that correct?

Lara​: Yes, it is.

Tiago​: You also mentioned the fact that all of this happened during the COVID crisis, right?

Lara​: Yes.

Tiago​: So, if we were in a quarantine process and all of the stores were closed, is it correct to
say you couldn’t find a way to buy that toy for your little John?

Lara​: That affirmation isn’t correct at all. I bought my kid a brand new toy during quarantine,
using Amazon’s website.

Tiago​: No further questions, You Honour.

Alexandre​: Thank you Tiago.

Maria: Thank you. Now that the ​Prosecution ​ case has already been called to, along with
its witness, testify and the defence part has already cross-examined the witness, it is
now turn to call the ​Defendant's Case. Tiago and João, you may now stand up.

4. Defense’s Case

Tiago: ​John, may I ask you what type of advertisements you create?

John: ​I make advertisements about children’s toy cars.

Tiago: ​Why do you think your advertisements don’t influence people into buying stuff?

John: ​I think they don’t force people because the decision to buy those products is entirely
made by the consumer.

Tiago: ​Why do you find consumerism to be correct?

John: ​I believe that our unconscious is guided by our instinct. I think human nature and
impulse leads us to think that consumerism is the answer to everything in this world, and that
therefore all inequalities will be reduced

Tiago:​ In your opinion will future generations consume even more?

John: ​I think society is always planning to consume more. Therefore, I believe that future
generations will consume more. But I don’t believe that is a bad thing.
Alexandre​: Rodrigo, as a defense attorney do you have any questions you want to ask to
Tiago’s witness?

Rodrigo: ​Yes, I do.

Rodrigo: ​My witness’s child is only 5 year old. He wanted to get your company toy. Do you
think this child had the opportunity to fully decide by himself?

João: ​Since the child was only a five year old at the time, he couldn’t decide by himself. So, no.

Rodrigo: ​Great, thanks for answering. Considering his age, do you admit that the child had no
way to search voluntarily by the toy?

João: ​No, I don’t. As children grow up in this technological era, they can always look up things
online.

Rodrigo: ​Do you admit your company runs online advertisements?

João: ​Yes, I do.

Rodrigo: ​Therefore, a child could also see an advertisement for your toy online, right?

João​: Yes, they could.

Rodrigo: ​So, by saying that a child can look up things voluntary online but at the same time
saying that online advertisements can be arranged to aim towards children, aren’t you
contradicting yourself?

João: ​No I am not.

Rodrigo: ​Well, I think so. Your whole speech has been really contradictory. In my opinion you
are trying to cover up things you cannot cover up. My witness has been clarily affected by your
marketing strategies. And, just for your information: human nature isn’t a thing. Human nature
is a concept that has been modified by the different social and economic aspects of society. I
end my part here.

Rodrigo: ​Thank you, You Honour. I don’t have any further questions

Maria​: ​Now that the ​Defense​ case has already been called to, along with its witness,
testify and the prosecution part has already cross-examined the witness, it is now turn to
each party to declare its closing arguments. Rodrigo, it’s your turn.

Rodrigo​: Your Honor, members of the jury, today you heard testimony about how consumerism
damages our daily lives, to the point of marketing influencing someone’s young child. I would
like to remind you of important information about this case that you should think about when you
make your decision: this mom is a single mom, who during COVID lost all of her income, and
was forced to buy a toy notheless by her child because of the recurring tantrums. When you
decide your verdict, please find the Defence guilty. Thank you.

Alexandre​: ​It’s not the Defense case turn. Tiago, go ahead.

Tiago​: Your Honor, members of the jury, today you heard testimony about how consumerism
and marketing culture doesn’t affect our daily lives at all. I would like to remind you of important
information about this case that you should think about when you make your decision: no ad
forces anyone to buy something, that decision is entirely theirs. When you decide your verdict,
please find us, the Defence, not guilty. Thank you

Alexandre​: This case is now paused. We will wait for the jury to decide a verdict

- 5 segundos de espera lol

​ oel​: Your Honour, the jury has decided a verdict. We the Jury find the Accused guilty of the
J
charge of damaging society and influencing children by using advertisements.