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No you are conflating two different meanings of "abuse". The definition we should be talking about is: [verb] treat (a person or an animal) with cruelty or vio
by pwaivers 8y ago
No you are conflating two different meanings of "abuse". The definition we should be talking about is: [verb] treat (a person or an animal) with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly.
I believe that is what the parent comment is talking about.
- geofft 8y agoThere's a defensible argument that it is, in fact, cruel. It's just been normalized, which is a standard component of effective abuse. If you're in an abusive relationship (familial, romantic, employment, or whatever), it's pretty common to think this is how all such relationships work.
- LitFan 8y agoYou're correct, that definition is more appropriate. Companies abuse (misuse) their power over consumers. Consumers are abused by companies through marketing. I wholly agree with my sibling commenter that it is cruel for companies to market to us with the intent of separating us from our money.