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> To force you into buying something you don't need No one can force you to do anything.
by kmlx 5y ago
> To force you into buying something you don't need
No one can force you to do anything.
- fsflover 5y agoIf it was true, the surveillance capitalism would not exist. You can call this "trick you into buying useless staff" if you wish. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targeted_advertising#Consumers_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targeted_advertising#Consumers....
- nickpp 5y agoPeople have been buying useless crap since the begging of time. It didn't start with targeted advertising.
- fsflover 5y agoAre you implying that tricking people into buying more useless staff is fine?
- nickpp 5y agoWho are you to decide for other people what they find useless or not? And are you implying people have no free will to decide what to buy and they need others to "trick" them or to prevent them from buying? Do you consider yourself above other people and some sort of arbiter for their decisions?
- fsflover 5y agoPeople should have the freedom to not be manipulated.
- nickpp 5y agoThen you should stop writing right now because to communicate is to manipulate. People are manipulating machines. Sometimes to sell useless crap, other times (just as useless) ideas and ideologies. It comes with being a human and interacting with other humans. People should have the freedom to choose who they listen to though, instead of others deciding for them.
- fsflover 5y agoI'm talking about dedicated departments in large companies that try to steer people into more purchases for profit. This is unethical unless people gave their consent.
- nickpp 5y agoNow you are simply describing advertising. I do not find it unethical, maybe unpleasant at most. It is the engine of commerce and driving progress. It is a sign of abundance of choice. And let's not forget a company still has to create a compelling product - no ads can override my free will.
- fsflover 5y ago-> no ads can override my free will. Everyone thinks that they are resistant to advertising, yet it somehow works. It's called "wishful thinking", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_advertising#Influence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_advertising#Influ.... > And let's not forget a company still has to create a compelling product Not necessarily: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_advertising#Media_and_Corporate_censorship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_advertising#Media...
- nickpp 5y agoIt works because people want to buy things, as I said at the beginning of this exchange. Advertising works with them, not against them.
- ohgodplsno 5y agoThat is surely why most large companies have entire teams human behavior psychologists, because they can't force you to do anything. Definitely not to figure out how to get something drilled deep in your brain so that the next time you see it, you're inching ever closer to buying it. In fact, that's why Facebook ran secret psychological experiments on unwilling participants by modifying their timeline! Because they can't force you to do anything.