5 ms·

Advertising and marketing have ruined society, the internet is just one of a long string of casualties. Mail? We throw most of it out without reading it. Phone

Advertising and marketing have ruined society, the internet is just one of a long string of casualties. Mail? We throw most of it out without reading it. Phones? We don't answer them. If you invent a new way for people to communicate advertisers will insert themselves and ruin it. But the big problem with them, and why Bill Hicks once told them to kill themselves, is that they prey on insecurities to create demand and manipulate people into giving them money. I assert that marketing is objectively a predatory industry with no positives for society and ludicrously huge negatives. I won't go so far as to say people who work in marketing should kill themselves, but I'd they'd all quit their jobs and try doing a job that actually benefits society for a change we'd all be a lot better off.

okamiueru 4y ago
Capitalism taken to it's natural conclusion, is ruining society (and the planet). The older I get, the more apparent and obvious this seems to me. I might be just getting disillusioned with what seems to be a worse planet for the next generation. It's easy to point the finger at what is wrong and provide no alternative. I'm not sure there is one, that is realistic. Though some things should perhaps help counter the negative sides: - Stronger regulation (it's almost never that company profits are in line with the common good, or preservation of nature or natural resources). To even the playing field, all must act within the regulated boundaries of what is sustainable. If you cannot, well... good riddance? - Much stronger focus on education. If we are being political for a second, just consider what US politics looks like to an outsider. The choice is between "well, maybe we should go in a direction of less shit. It's still largely shit, but, less" vs "More shit please! As long as it annoys the opposing 'team', fuck'em!". And the polls end up like around 50/50. Lack of education, and a Murdoc media seems to be the main culprit of this phenomenon. That, and to some, but much less extent, foreign influence (just imagine the field day opponents of the US are having when half the voting population end up wanting more shit). - Automation w/redistribution of wealth, likely only possible by force (like, if you are in the 0.01%, you can remove 99.9% of your accrued wealth and still live better than any king in human history). Anyways, maybe one day all of this becomes "common sense" rather than a political statement. If I were to make a bet, it would be that it becomes too little, too late, and we are in for a century of wars and dystopian famine. shrug
- oliveshell 4y ago
  >It's easy to point the finger at what is wrong and provide no alternative. I'm not sure there is one, that is realistic. "It's often been said that Democracy is the worst form of government— except for all the others..." -Winston Churchill
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
mertd 4y ago
How does one start a new business or sell a product in a world without advertising? How do you scale something fast enough through just word of mouth to get out of the red? If I open a new bakery, is it predatory to send a pamphlet to the nearby houses? Should I just sit quietly and hope that enough people notice?
- account42 4y ago
  > How do you scale something fast enough through just word of mouth to get out of the red? Don't choose a business model that needs to scale fast. > If I open a new bakery, is it predatory to send a pamphlet to the nearby houses? Should I just sit quietly and hope that enough people notice? I have never once gone to a physical store because they advertised to me.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 4y ago
  Theoretically, if I'm specifically looking for something then consulting a resource about those things makes sense. Like a catalog. But that isn't how advertising and marketing work is it? No, even your example is spamming people and hoping they give a shit. You're forcing them to deal with your bullshit so you can make a profit and that's detrimental to society.
- manicennui 4y ago
  I've been looking for a great local baker for months. I don't think Americans realize just how bad most baked goods are here. And yes, even the stuff made by your local grocery store or bakery is probably quite bad. I was looking over the vendors from the local farmer's market, which hasn't opened yet this year, and noticed a baker. I checked out their website and found that during the offseason they take orders online and have about a dozen pickup locations on Saturdays. After checking out the small number of reviews I could find online, as well as the photos and descriptions on their website, I placed a small order. Their stuff it amazing and is exactly what I've been looking for. I bought some art last month after discovering the artist by seeing their art on the cover of a sci-fi/fantasy magazine. After watching a lot of content about digital music creation and explanations and reviews of various equipment, I bought a midi controller that I'm very happy with. I own several pieces of Made In cookware, and Made In no doubt gave away a lot of cookware to YT cooking channels, but I only bought it after seeing several people I trust use it and give honest reviews of it. The reviews were never the focus of the videos. Arguably there is not a lot of difference between an ad and a plug in a video, other than the source and context of the plug. I think it boils down to the fact that I neither care nor trust what companies think of their own products. For retail stores, it has always been known that physical location is everything. In a dense (for the US) city like Chicago, a new bakery would be discovered by everyone in the neighborhood. Even out in the suburbs this is how I discover new places, like the new dispensary that opened this year. I don't know how the financials would work, but I much rather receive a small weekly flyer from someone I trust pointing out good local businesses. I absolutely do not want all of the flyers I currently receive that were paid for by the businesses they are promoting.
idoubtit 4y ago
I concur to that: advertising is a kind of cancer of modern society. One obvious consequence of advertising is the worsening of climate change. I've seen a more direct consequence of advertising on fragile members of the society. Someone close to me has been working with orphans as they reach adulthood. Most have a job (can't make long studies when you have no family and no place to live once you are 18 years old). These past years, sport bets and money games had a devastating effect. Most of these young adults can't resist, and quite a few are now in debt.

okamiueru 4y ago

Capitalism taken to it's natural conclusion, is ruining society (and the planet). The older I get, the more apparent and obvious this seems to me. I might be just getting disillusioned with what seems to be a worse planet for the next generation. It's easy to point the finger at what is wrong and provide no alternative. I'm not sure there is one, that is realistic. Though some things should perhaps help counter the negative sides: - Stronger regulation (it's almost never that company profits are in line with the common good, or preservation of nature or natural resources). To even the playing field, all must act within the regulated boundaries of what is sustainable. If you cannot, well... good riddance? - Much stronger focus on education. If we are being political for a second, just consider what US politics looks like to an outsider. The choice is between "well, maybe we should go in a direction of less shit. It's still largely shit, but, less" vs "More shit please! As long as it annoys the opposing 'team', fuck'em!". And the polls end up like around 50/50. Lack of education, and a Murdoc media seems to be the main culprit of this phenomenon. That, and to some, but much less extent, foreign influence (just imagine the field day opponents of the US are having when half the voting population end up wanting more shit). - Automation w/redistribution of wealth, likely only possible by force (like, if you are in the 0.01%, you can remove 99.9% of your accrued wealth and still live better than any king in human history). Anyways, maybe one day all of this becomes "common sense" rather than a political statement. If I were to make a bet, it would be that it becomes too little, too late, and we are in for a century of wars and dystopian famine. shrug

oliveshell 4y ago
>It's easy to point the finger at what is wrong and provide no alternative. I'm not sure there is one, that is realistic. "It's often been said that Democracy is the worst form of government— except for all the others..." -Winston Churchill
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

mertd 4y ago

How does one start a new business or sell a product in a world without advertising? How do you scale something fast enough through just word of mouth to get out of the red? If I open a new bakery, is it predatory to send a pamphlet to the nearby houses? Should I just sit quietly and hope that enough people notice?

account42 4y ago
> How do you scale something fast enough through just word of mouth to get out of the red? Don't choose a business model that needs to scale fast. > If I open a new bakery, is it predatory to send a pamphlet to the nearby houses? Should I just sit quietly and hope that enough people notice? I have never once gone to a physical store because they advertised to me.
AnIdiotOnTheNet 4y ago
Theoretically, if I'm specifically looking for something then consulting a resource about those things makes sense. Like a catalog. But that isn't how advertising and marketing work is it? No, even your example is spamming people and hoping they give a shit. You're forcing them to deal with your bullshit so you can make a profit and that's detrimental to society.
manicennui 4y ago
I've been looking for a great local baker for months. I don't think Americans realize just how bad most baked goods are here. And yes, even the stuff made by your local grocery store or bakery is probably quite bad. I was looking over the vendors from the local farmer's market, which hasn't opened yet this year, and noticed a baker. I checked out their website and found that during the offseason they take orders online and have about a dozen pickup locations on Saturdays. After checking out the small number of reviews I could find online, as well as the photos and descriptions on their website, I placed a small order. Their stuff it amazing and is exactly what I've been looking for. I bought some art last month after discovering the artist by seeing their art on the cover of a sci-fi/fantasy magazine. After watching a lot of content about digital music creation and explanations and reviews of various equipment, I bought a midi controller that I'm very happy with. I own several pieces of Made In cookware, and Made In no doubt gave away a lot of cookware to YT cooking channels, but I only bought it after seeing several people I trust use it and give honest reviews of it. The reviews were never the focus of the videos. Arguably there is not a lot of difference between an ad and a plug in a video, other than the source and context of the plug. I think it boils down to the fact that I neither care nor trust what companies think of their own products. For retail stores, it has always been known that physical location is everything. In a dense (for the US) city like Chicago, a new bakery would be discovered by everyone in the neighborhood. Even out in the suburbs this is how I discover new places, like the new dispensary that opened this year. I don't know how the financials would work, but I much rather receive a small weekly flyer from someone I trust pointing out good local businesses. I absolutely do not want all of the flyers I currently receive that were paid for by the businesses they are promoting.

idoubtit 4y ago

I concur to that: advertising is a kind of cancer of modern society. One obvious consequence of advertising is the worsening of climate change. I've seen a more direct consequence of advertising on fragile members of the society. Someone close to me has been working with orphans as they reach adulthood. Most have a job (can't make long studies when you have no family and no place to live once you are 18 years old). These past years, sport bets and money games had a devastating effect. Most of these young adults can't resist, and quite a few are now in debt.