8 ms·

If ads (political or not) had to be true to be run then nobody would run any ads at all, ever. Ads are all lies and everyone knows that. Also, as for the role

If ads (political or not) had to be true to be run then nobody would run any ads at all, ever. Ads are all lies and everyone knows that. Also, as for the role of truth in public discourse: If at least a majority still gave a shit, Trump couldn't be president. The propagandists produce, but the masses gobble up that crap as if it meant their life. Entertainment has won over truth and without the customers ("users", like if the product were a drug) that buy it the propagandists, and Zuckerberg, would have no market and nothing to sell.

clouddrover 7y ago
> Ads are all lies and everyone knows that. No. Some ads are simply straightforward and factual. Ads which tell you that "the election is on" or "the circus is in town" or "items are now half the usual price" aren't lies.
- lm28469 7y ago
  Yeah, like amazon sales are all 100% factual. They indeed slash the price by 50%, two days after raising it by 100%.
  - clouddrover 7y ago
    So.. not the usual price then. I always find the lack of media sophistication interesting. I think it must come from having isolated yourself too much from practical realities. You lose the ability to evaluate what's in front of you and your judgement is impaired.
- smt88 7y ago
  While you're absolutely correct, I've never seen an ad like that. They must exist, but they're also a tiny fraction of all ads. One might also argue that a purely factual, straightforward ad is a fairly ineffective one -- one of the reasons no major corporation would point you to Wikipedia or an investigative news piece to learn more about them. Assuming some amount of Darwinism in the ad space, people who make purely factual ads will go out of business pretty soon.
  - clouddrover 7y ago
    Here are some effective, factual ads: - An ad for a tour of parliament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tEKKRf8WY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tEKKRf8WY - An ad for an exhibition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeM0ktptknI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeM0ktptknI - An ad for ballet performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC13KUebpxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC13KUebpxE - An ad for concert dates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3Ih7aaBq4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3Ih7aaBq4 They tell you what it is, they tell you when it's on. If they're lies then they won't be getting any bookings and they will be going out of business.
    - smt88 7y ago
      Like I said, I believe you that these exist, but they are a tiny fraction of total ads. It's not unlikely that most ads aren't even for legitimate products/services.
      - clouddrover 7y ago
        > but they are a tiny fraction of total ads Prove it. Factual ads are far more likely to be the largest fraction purely because they're simpler and cheaper to make.
        smt88 7y ago
        I can’t prove it other than to say: go to literally any website and count. My claim, that ads are more dishonest than honest, seems much less controversial. If you can find me even a single podcast episode with only honest ads, I’ll concede.
    - classified 7y ago
      So you found the 0.05 % of ads that are less of a lie than the rest. Congrats, you are this week's winner of the split-a-hair-with-your-bare-hand-blindfolded contest.
meheleventyone 7y ago
Even if it were true it doesn't have to be true. It's possible to not have adverts full of lies.
wozniacki 7y ago
I'm sorry you feel that way but this is exactly the kind of speak that got us here - everyone but us are 'deplorables'. I don't think more of this will help us get to higher ground.
- chillwaves 7y ago
  At this point it shouldn't be controversial to call Trump a liar. I don't believe saying so creates the consequences you describe (as opposed to deeper issues about tribalism, education, and opportunity in America).
  - wozniacki 7y ago
    I urge you to watch this video, esp if youre an American. I'm not even a fan - not even by a mile - of Bill Maher but the man has a point when he implies that you are not going to be able to just make the other half vanish into thin air, by beating them in an election. They will still be around and you will just have to live with them, come what may. [1] New Rule: Let It Go | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6C1UaQKhI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6C1UaQKhI
    - smt88 7y ago
      I understand his/your point, but you can beat them in an election and then take better care of them than their own party has. There are conservative people who voted for Obama twice, which almost certainly was because of the broad economic recovery under his presidency. People are a lot less ideological than everyone thinks. If they're worried about money or health, many will vote for whomever gives them the most hope.

clouddrover 7y ago

> Ads are all lies and everyone knows that. No. Some ads are simply straightforward and factual. Ads which tell you that "the election is on" or "the circus is in town" or "items are now half the usual price" aren't lies.

lm28469 7y ago
Yeah, like amazon sales are all 100% factual. They indeed slash the price by 50%, two days after raising it by 100%.
- clouddrover 7y ago
  So.. not the usual price then. I always find the lack of media sophistication interesting. I think it must come from having isolated yourself too much from practical realities. You lose the ability to evaluate what's in front of you and your judgement is impaired.
smt88 7y ago
While you're absolutely correct, I've never seen an ad like that. They must exist, but they're also a tiny fraction of all ads. One might also argue that a purely factual, straightforward ad is a fairly ineffective one -- one of the reasons no major corporation would point you to Wikipedia or an investigative news piece to learn more about them. Assuming some amount of Darwinism in the ad space, people who make purely factual ads will go out of business pretty soon.
- clouddrover 7y ago
  Here are some effective, factual ads: - An ad for a tour of parliament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tEKKRf8WY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tEKKRf8WY - An ad for an exhibition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeM0ktptknI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeM0ktptknI - An ad for ballet performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC13KUebpxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC13KUebpxE - An ad for concert dates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3Ih7aaBq4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3Ih7aaBq4 They tell you what it is, they tell you when it's on. If they're lies then they won't be getting any bookings and they will be going out of business.
  - smt88 7y ago
    Like I said, I believe you that these exist, but they are a tiny fraction of total ads. It's not unlikely that most ads aren't even for legitimate products/services.
    - clouddrover 7y ago
      > but they are a tiny fraction of total ads Prove it. Factual ads are far more likely to be the largest fraction purely because they're simpler and cheaper to make.
      - smt88 7y ago
        I can’t prove it other than to say: go to literally any website and count. My claim, that ads are more dishonest than honest, seems much less controversial. If you can find me even a single podcast episode with only honest ads, I’ll concede.
  - classified 7y ago
    So you found the 0.05 % of ads that are less of a lie than the rest. Congrats, you are this week's winner of the split-a-hair-with-your-bare-hand-blindfolded contest.

meheleventyone 7y ago

Even if it were true it doesn't have to be true. It's possible to not have adverts full of lies.

wozniacki 7y ago

I'm sorry you feel that way but this is exactly the kind of speak that got us here - everyone but us are 'deplorables'. I don't think more of this will help us get to higher ground.

chillwaves 7y ago
At this point it shouldn't be controversial to call Trump a liar. I don't believe saying so creates the consequences you describe (as opposed to deeper issues about tribalism, education, and opportunity in America).
- wozniacki 7y ago
  I urge you to watch this video, esp if youre an American. I'm not even a fan - not even by a mile - of Bill Maher but the man has a point when he implies that you are not going to be able to just make the other half vanish into thin air, by beating them in an election. They will still be around and you will just have to live with them, come what may. [1] New Rule: Let It Go | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6C1UaQKhI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6C1UaQKhI
  - smt88 7y ago
    I understand his/your point, but you can beat them in an election and then take better care of them than their own party has. There are conservative people who voted for Obama twice, which almost certainly was because of the broad economic recovery under his presidency. People are a lot less ideological than everyone thinks. If they're worried about money or health, many will vote for whomever gives them the most hope.