Don DeLillo's novel White Noise revolves around the life of Jack, a Hitler studies major at College-on-the- Hill. The characters in the novel all want to get involved in the events of an American industrial society. Jack and his fourth wife, Babette, are characterized by their love, their fear of losing their lives, and their four seemingly civilized children. The family seeks to live in a society where consumerist culture is heavily influenced by media and corporations. The characters' consumerist culture is influenced by the dangers of the industrial chemical cloud that hangs over their lives. This essay explores the importance of honesty in the wake of a consumerist culture heavily influenced by media and corporations, as exemplified by DeLillo's White Noise and Malcolm Gladwell's "Big and Bad." In Gladwell's article "Big and Bad", he discusses the influence of corporations and media on consumer choices regarding safe cars (Gladwell 440). Gladwell describes the two key organizations as dishonest in their unfair influence on consumers' choice to buy large cars; however, this turns out to be passive safety rather than active safety. The author provides facts on all 33 brands of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans, with less popular midsize cars such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Volkswagen Jetta taking the lead in safety. Gladwell argues that corporate information and media influence have turned very safe cars into unsafe cars because drivers tend to be passive rather than active when driving (Gladwell 440). The story is very similar to White Noise in that in both cases, consumerist culture is subject to media and corporate influences, rather than customer objectivity. Jack's life...... middle of paper ...... y media. Overall, DeLillo creates uncertainty in the life events surrounding various characters in White Noise. The author devoted the plot of the novel to important events, random conversations and bits of machine and media noises to create the feeling of a new life and a new era. Throughout White Noise and “Big and Bad,” readers learn about the massive role of media and corporations in influencing the cultural influences of consumerism. Media and corporations are portrayed as obstructing consumer objectivity in life and with enormous risks for end users; honesty is the best policy that would ensure consistency and safety for consumers. Works Cited DeLillo, Don. White noise. New York: Viking, 1985. Malcolm Gladwell. “Big and bad.” Open questions. Ed. Chris Anderson and LexRunciman. New York: Bedford, 2005. 36-41. Print. Internet. May 11 2014.