3 ms·

Using someone's death to make a cheap plug, how tacky.

• gist 9y ago
  Tacky? It's either information of value or it's not. Who cares what it's juxtaposed to. I don't. And what does the occasion matter? To me not in bad taste a all. The man lived to a ripe old age. Not like the OP is trying to profit selling tshirts on HN. For that matter I don't even find it necessary to say things like 'shameless plug' or 'I am not connected'. Just post the link what do I care if someone gains or not in some personal way.
  • serf 9y ago
    >Tacky? It's either information of value or it's not. The world isn't black and white. It can be information and be tacky. This is a less offensive case, given that the person had a long life and died under fairly positive circumstances; but what if someone used a public shooting to spin sales into their gun safe company? What if a company that engraved tombstones hung around sites of mass tragedies offering free catalogs to the bereaved? At what point does trying to spin someones personal tragedy into your own gain or profit turn tacky? To me : instantly. To others : it varies. Personally I very much DO want to know if a person giving me advice stands to gain from it. You can use that information to filter out perceived biases and make better decisions oneself.