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In the same way that nobody likes taxes, traffic stops, or insurance salesmen, but almost anyone sees their necessity, things can be beneficial without being en

In the same way that nobody likes taxes, traffic stops, or insurance salesmen, but almost anyone sees their necessity, things can be beneficial without being enjoyable.

deleted 7y ago
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- Fnoord 7y ago
  I gladly pay tax, and for other services. Paying tax is part of being a citizen of a country. Don't need salesmen though as they are dishonest for their own self interest.
TeMPOraL 7y ago
I don't see the necessity of insurance salesmen. It's a particular way the industry decided to organize itself, but it isn't prima facie necessary for insurance - the valuable part - to function. As for taxes and traffic stops, these help me and people around me. Advertising is made to hurt me, to rob me of my money by subtly manipulating my consumption choices. It's a malicious act.
- IanPBann 7y ago
  While some advertisements may be dishonest, I don't feel that that can be said of advertising. Advertising is absolutely designed to part you of your money, but that isn't necessarily bad for you. If I see an advertisement for a good or service which I purchase because of the ad and which subsequently benefits my life, yes the advertiser has profited, but so have I. If I make a product which benefits humanity (say something that's a better quality, more environmentally friendly alternative to a popular product) is it not more selfish not not advertise and spread the word?
  - TeMPOraL 7y ago
    > While some advertisements may be dishonest, I don't feel that that can be said of advertising. I believe that it's not some, but upwards of 90% of advertisements that are manipulative and dishonest, and that's before talking about methods of delivery. Therefore, I feel justified in accusing the whole industry. I've expanded on the topic at length here: http://jacek.zlydach.pl/blog/2019-07-31-ads-as-cancer.html http://jacek.zlydach.pl/blog/2019-07-31-ads-as-cancer.html. > If I see an advertisement for a good or service which I purchase because of the ad and which subsequently benefits my life, yes the advertiser has profited, but so have I. That's arguably a rare case. Of most product categories that are advertised you're already aware of, the goal of the advertising is to make you choose one option over other for reasons other than the value you'll get for your money. > If I make a product which benefits humanity (say something that's a better quality, more environmentally friendly alternative to a popular product) is it not more selfish not not advertise and spread the word? The word about that product being on the market should be spread, and it could be without getting into all the negative aspects of advertising iff everyone's attention wasn't already saturated by all the other companies advertising indiscriminately. When everyone's shouting through the megaphone at each other, you have to pick a megaphone too just to have a chance of being heard. What I'm arguing is to take everyone's megaphones away, so that we could all talk to each other.
- Fnoord 7y ago
  > Advertising is made to hurt me, to rob me of my money by subtly manipulating my consumption choices. It's a malicious act. And your focus/time. The image I have of Las Vegas drives me insane. I find it peculiar such attention thievery is even legal, or deemed safe.
Kaiyou 7y ago
I don't really see the necessity of taxes, to be honest and can easily imagine a world where everything taxes are used for are paid directly by citizens that see a benefit in spending it on that particular endeavor. Just having a say in what your taxes are allowed to be spend on would go a long way to prevent taxes from being wasted.

In the same way that nobody likes taxes, traffic stops, or insurance salesmen, but almost anyone sees their necessity, things can be beneficial without being enjoyable.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

Fnoord 7y ago
I gladly pay tax, and for other services. Paying tax is part of being a citizen of a country. Don't need salesmen though as they are dishonest for their own self interest.

TeMPOraL 7y ago

I don't see the necessity of insurance salesmen. It's a particular way the industry decided to organize itself, but it isn't prima facie necessary for insurance - the valuable part - to function. As for taxes and traffic stops, these help me and people around me. Advertising is made to hurt me, to rob me of my money by subtly manipulating my consumption choices. It's a malicious act.

IanPBann 7y ago
While some advertisements may be dishonest, I don't feel that that can be said of advertising. Advertising is absolutely designed to part you of your money, but that isn't necessarily bad for you. If I see an advertisement for a good or service which I purchase because of the ad and which subsequently benefits my life, yes the advertiser has profited, but so have I. If I make a product which benefits humanity (say something that's a better quality, more environmentally friendly alternative to a popular product) is it not more selfish not not advertise and spread the word?
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
  > While some advertisements may be dishonest, I don't feel that that can be said of advertising. I believe that it's not some, but upwards of 90% of advertisements that are manipulative and dishonest, and that's before talking about methods of delivery. Therefore, I feel justified in accusing the whole industry. I've expanded on the topic at length here: http://jacek.zlydach.pl/blog/2019-07-31-ads-as-cancer.html http://jacek.zlydach.pl/blog/2019-07-31-ads-as-cancer.html. > If I see an advertisement for a good or service which I purchase because of the ad and which subsequently benefits my life, yes the advertiser has profited, but so have I. That's arguably a rare case. Of most product categories that are advertised you're already aware of, the goal of the advertising is to make you choose one option over other for reasons other than the value you'll get for your money. > If I make a product which benefits humanity (say something that's a better quality, more environmentally friendly alternative to a popular product) is it not more selfish not not advertise and spread the word? The word about that product being on the market should be spread, and it could be without getting into all the negative aspects of advertising iff everyone's attention wasn't already saturated by all the other companies advertising indiscriminately. When everyone's shouting through the megaphone at each other, you have to pick a megaphone too just to have a chance of being heard. What I'm arguing is to take everyone's megaphones away, so that we could all talk to each other.
Fnoord 7y ago
> Advertising is made to hurt me, to rob me of my money by subtly manipulating my consumption choices. It's a malicious act. And your focus/time. The image I have of Las Vegas drives me insane. I find it peculiar such attention thievery is even legal, or deemed safe.

Kaiyou 7y ago

I don't really see the necessity of taxes, to be honest and can easily imagine a world where everything taxes are used for are paid directly by citizens that see a benefit in spending it on that particular endeavor. Just having a say in what your taxes are allowed to be spend on would go a long way to prevent taxes from being wasted.