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The problem is not that this looks like a stupid business. The problem is it deliberately misleads and fools people.

by owens99 7y ago

nikanj 7y ago
Misleading and fooling people has been a great tool for good ROI throughout human history.
jfk13 7y ago
A bit like the advertising industry, then? Which pays the (large) salaries of how many HN commenters, I wonder...
- onion2k 7y ago
  Advertising is something a lot of people don't like, and the way it manipulates people can be underhanded if it's not regulated well, but it's not deliberately misleading or fooling anyone.
  - jfk13 7y ago
    Not always, true; but there are plenty of cases where it does.
    - TomMarius 7y ago
      But you definitely cannot say that in general, contrary to other cases.
      - consz 7y ago
        Why is it we "definitely cannot" say that in general? That's not obvious to me at first glance.
        TomMarius 7y ago
        I know of many examples of ethical advertising and/or advertising that does actual good. For example nonprofits use advertising to raise awareness and funds. Without large scale advertising industry, it'd be impossible to reach that many relevant (interested) people. I used advertising to form a local social help group, that'd be impossible without Facebook.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - yrro 7y ago
    What about fake 5-star reviews on Amazon? Don't tell me they aren't funded out of marketing budgets...
paulgb 7y ago
I wonder, deep down, how much people are really fooled by this and how much is entertainment value? I consider myself pretty rational, but if I crack open a fortune cookie it's still fun to read the fortune. Anyone I've known who has done astrology-adjacent things seemed to be getting value out of the escape from dry rationalism rather than taking it literally.
- SllX 7y ago
  Only a handful of data points, but almost everyone I know that is into astrology takes it at least somewhat seriously, and I recently had coworkers that gave me a lecture on my star chart. I’ve always known I was a “Pisces” based off my DOB, but apparently I’m moon ascendant Taurus, and Mars something something Aquarius. Couldn’t for the life of me tell you what that means, but my lecturer took it very seriously. “Of course the phase of the Moon and the stars affect our personalities! How could they not?!” You and I might read that as a joke or laugh if it were in a TV script, but these exact words were delivered to me verbally and sincerely. I trashed the article elsewhere on here, but I have been mulling over sending this article to her, just can’t decide if I’m up for another lecture. That said, there is entertainment value to be had here.

The problem is not that this looks like a stupid business. The problem is it deliberately misleads and fools people.

nikanj 7y ago

Misleading and fooling people has been a great tool for good ROI throughout human history.

jfk13 7y ago

A bit like the advertising industry, then? Which pays the (large) salaries of how many HN commenters, I wonder...

onion2k 7y ago
Advertising is something a lot of people don't like, and the way it manipulates people can be underhanded if it's not regulated well, but it's not deliberately misleading or fooling anyone.
- jfk13 7y ago
  Not always, true; but there are plenty of cases where it does.
  - TomMarius 7y ago
    But you definitely cannot say that in general, contrary to other cases.
    - consz 7y ago
      Why is it we "definitely cannot" say that in general? That's not obvious to me at first glance.
      - TomMarius 7y ago
        I know of many examples of ethical advertising and/or advertising that does actual good. For example nonprofits use advertising to raise awareness and funds. Without large scale advertising industry, it'd be impossible to reach that many relevant (interested) people. I used advertising to form a local social help group, that'd be impossible without Facebook.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- yrro 7y ago
  What about fake 5-star reviews on Amazon? Don't tell me they aren't funded out of marketing budgets...

paulgb 7y ago

I wonder, deep down, how much people are really fooled by this and how much is entertainment value? I consider myself pretty rational, but if I crack open a fortune cookie it's still fun to read the fortune. Anyone I've known who has done astrology-adjacent things seemed to be getting value out of the escape from dry rationalism rather than taking it literally.

SllX 7y ago
Only a handful of data points, but almost everyone I know that is into astrology takes it at least somewhat seriously, and I recently had coworkers that gave me a lecture on my star chart. I’ve always known I was a “Pisces” based off my DOB, but apparently I’m moon ascendant Taurus, and Mars something something Aquarius. Couldn’t for the life of me tell you what that means, but my lecturer took it very seriously. “Of course the phase of the Moon and the stars affect our personalities! How could they not?!” You and I might read that as a joke or laugh if it were in a TV script, but these exact words were delivered to me verbally and sincerely. I trashed the article elsewhere on here, but I have been mulling over sending this article to her, just can’t decide if I’m up for another lecture. That said, there is entertainment value to be had here.