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Like it or not, there is a large swath of people (engineers, designers, workers, etc, etc) whose jobs would simply go away if masses of people didn't buy useles

Like it or not, there is a large swath of people (engineers, designers, workers, etc, etc) whose jobs would simply go away if masses of people didn't buy useless stuff they didn't want or need and couldn't afford. We all work for someone, and we all feed this system in some way or another. The only way to escape this is to go off the grid completely. And so, I think that advertising is not the root cause, its consumerism, which has been anointed as this engine that drives positive economic growth under capitalism. And like any other macroeconomic theory it falls in this contradicting category of 'thats bullshit' and 'that totally makes sense'. "Studies show X" whoop-de-doo. Advertising simply enables consumerism, and the people who you're calling dickheads actually enable a TON of software developers to even have jobs. Where is all the tech we're building being used? To build websites to sell stuff. To build databases to store all this info, to build entertainment platforms to sell you more stuff, to build logistic systems to organize this useless selling of stuff, etc, etc. Unless you're somehow connected with selling things or otherwise generating economic activity, why would anyone pay you to build it?

blacksmith_tb 7y ago
I'm not sure that line of argument holds up terribly well; people working in an industry I consider immoral aren't really my primary concern. How would you respond to an analogous argument like "landmines are made by people in factories - if we stopped making landmines, all those poor people would lose their jobs, is that what you want?" (side note, the answer to that hypothetical is also 'yes').
- la_barba 7y ago
  I am talking about convincing a consumer to buy something like a headphone or a smartphone or a laptop that they don't need... not about selling weapons to kill people. Personally, I have never seen an online ad for a landmine. Edit: Sorta off topic, but our little conversation reminded me of a quote from Lord Of War. >Yuri Orlov : I don't want people dead, Agent Valentine. I don't put a gun to anybody's head and make them shoot. But shooting is better for business. But, I prefer people to fire my guns and miss. Just as long as they are firing. Can I go now?

blacksmith_tb 7y ago

I'm not sure that line of argument holds up terribly well; people working in an industry I consider immoral aren't really my primary concern. How would you respond to an analogous argument like "landmines are made by people in factories - if we stopped making landmines, all those poor people would lose their jobs, is that what you want?" (side note, the answer to that hypothetical is also 'yes').

la_barba 7y ago
I am talking about convincing a consumer to buy something like a headphone or a smartphone or a laptop that they don't need... not about selling weapons to kill people. Personally, I have never seen an online ad for a landmine. Edit: Sorta off topic, but our little conversation reminded me of a quote from Lord Of War. >Yuri Orlov : I don't want people dead, Agent Valentine. I don't put a gun to anybody's head and make them shoot. But shooting is better for business. But, I prefer people to fire my guns and miss. Just as long as they are firing. Can I go now?