> Anyone can settle the debate empirically by starting a business that doesn't rely on them, though Advertising might be a zero-sum game. Or even net negative.

> Anyone can settle the debate empirically by starting a business that doesn't rely on them, though Advertising might be a zero-sum game. Or even net negative. Yet a business without it will likely fail if other businesses use it. In other words, if advertising adds value like Mafia protection adds value then the empirical test proves nothing.