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The old "use your agency" response never gets old does it, no matter how much consumer alternatives are whittled away, and no matter how much the abusive corpor

The old "use your agency" response never gets old does it, no matter how much consumer alternatives are whittled away, and no matter how much the abusive corporate behaviour gets ratcheted up and normalized. Do you actually make a profit yourself from forcing ads on paying customers who can't choose to avoid your services, or just aspire to one day?

bruce511 2y ago
Thats a cop out. There are lots of alternatives to McDonald's. There are lots of alternatives to most things. Some cost more money though. That's kinda the point.
- photonthug 2y ago
  What if I can't drive all the way to an ad-free restaurant or for that matter an ad-free gas pump? What if I buy a plane ticket to get out of this bad situation and the airline is using the emergency PA to harass their captive audience of paying customers to join their miles club? What can't be avoided must endured, but there is no reason for people like you to insist that this is fine or normal, or that it's something one can opt out of. You're actively building the dystopia when you do that
  - shiroiushi 2y ago
    >What if I can't drive all the way to an ad-free restaurant Eating at a restaurant is a luxury. If you don't like the experience, don't go (or don't go back). You're free to make your own food with stuff you buy at the supermarket, and you'll most likely get something healthier and much lower-priced. The entire point of a restaurant is to pay more money, frequently a LOT more, for a combination of convenience, service, ambiance, and food that might not be so easy for you to make at home (e.g. pizza) due to skill or equipment limitations.
    - notpushkin 2y ago
      So at least the supermarket should be ad-free, right?
      - dspillett 2y ago
        Most of the supermarket is essentially ad-space. Companies often negotiate quite hard for good eye-line shelf positions for their products. That special offer Tesco has on Pepsi products? Tesco is probably making exactly the same markup on each sale and the saving is actually coming from a supply price deal they have arranged with Pepsi in exchange for their products getting extra shelf space and end-isle displays. High-shelf space (too high for customers to safely reach, so otherwise empty or used to store boxes of product to open when it is time to replace sold stock on lower shelves) often has advertising hoardings for products on other isles these days, again this is effectively paid ad space for the suppliers. If no external supplier is currently paying for it, the space is used to advertise own-brand ranges.
  - akoboldfrying 2y ago
    You seem to believe that you're entitled to certain things that are provided by other businesses -- but on your terms. I don't know why you think that.
    - jodrellblank 2y ago
      You seem to believe that someone wanting a thing to exist means they believe they are entitled to it. I don't know why you think that.
- autoexec 2y ago
  If an "alternative" to McDonald's does exactly the same abusive thing it isn't a real alternative to McDonald's at all. If an "alternative" to McDonald's forces you to drive excessive distances to reach it, or it costs much more, or it sells Thai food instead of burgers, then it isn't a real alternative to McDonald's. A suitable alternative to McDonald's would be one similar enough to McDonald's for your purposes that you can use it to replace McDonald's. I'm sure some people have that, but I'm also sure many people don't. There are lots of things that don't actually have suitable alternatives. There are entire product categories that are completely filled with consumer hostile garbage, with zero competitors offering a suitable alternative, because sometimes it will always be more profitable for companies to refuse to give consumers what they want.
  - bruce511 2y ago
    A suitable alternative to McDonald's is learning to cook. Or pay a bit more to go to a nicer joint. Quality does cost more. As long as you keep signaling to MD that you'll tolerate more and more crap for lower prices, they happily oblige.
    - pdimitar 2y ago
      Another trope that never gets old, it seems. Many people have stopped going to McDonald's by the way. But not enough for McD to hurt. Then what? What does our agency change in the world in this situation? You are using cop-outs as well.
      - bruce511 2y ago
        Cooking for yourself is a trope? You realise that's what most of the world does every day. If making your own meals is literally out of your reach then I feel really sad for you. That must truly suck to be so dependent on companies just to eat...
        skyyler 2y ago
        Do you grow 100% of your own food? It may be helpful for your understanding (and this conversation) to get off the high horse and realise that you're also dependent on companies "just to eat".

bruce511 2y ago

Thats a cop out. There are lots of alternatives to McDonald's. There are lots of alternatives to most things. Some cost more money though. That's kinda the point.

photonthug 2y ago
What if I can't drive all the way to an ad-free restaurant or for that matter an ad-free gas pump? What if I buy a plane ticket to get out of this bad situation and the airline is using the emergency PA to harass their captive audience of paying customers to join their miles club? What can't be avoided must endured, but there is no reason for people like you to insist that this is fine or normal, or that it's something one can opt out of. You're actively building the dystopia when you do that
- shiroiushi 2y ago
  >What if I can't drive all the way to an ad-free restaurant Eating at a restaurant is a luxury. If you don't like the experience, don't go (or don't go back). You're free to make your own food with stuff you buy at the supermarket, and you'll most likely get something healthier and much lower-priced. The entire point of a restaurant is to pay more money, frequently a LOT more, for a combination of convenience, service, ambiance, and food that might not be so easy for you to make at home (e.g. pizza) due to skill or equipment limitations.
  - notpushkin 2y ago
    So at least the supermarket should be ad-free, right?
    - dspillett 2y ago
      Most of the supermarket is essentially ad-space. Companies often negotiate quite hard for good eye-line shelf positions for their products. That special offer Tesco has on Pepsi products? Tesco is probably making exactly the same markup on each sale and the saving is actually coming from a supply price deal they have arranged with Pepsi in exchange for their products getting extra shelf space and end-isle displays. High-shelf space (too high for customers to safely reach, so otherwise empty or used to store boxes of product to open when it is time to replace sold stock on lower shelves) often has advertising hoardings for products on other isles these days, again this is effectively paid ad space for the suppliers. If no external supplier is currently paying for it, the space is used to advertise own-brand ranges.
- akoboldfrying 2y ago
  You seem to believe that you're entitled to certain things that are provided by other businesses -- but on your terms. I don't know why you think that.
  - jodrellblank 2y ago
    You seem to believe that someone wanting a thing to exist means they believe they are entitled to it. I don't know why you think that.
autoexec 2y ago
If an "alternative" to McDonald's does exactly the same abusive thing it isn't a real alternative to McDonald's at all. If an "alternative" to McDonald's forces you to drive excessive distances to reach it, or it costs much more, or it sells Thai food instead of burgers, then it isn't a real alternative to McDonald's. A suitable alternative to McDonald's would be one similar enough to McDonald's for your purposes that you can use it to replace McDonald's. I'm sure some people have that, but I'm also sure many people don't. There are lots of things that don't actually have suitable alternatives. There are entire product categories that are completely filled with consumer hostile garbage, with zero competitors offering a suitable alternative, because sometimes it will always be more profitable for companies to refuse to give consumers what they want.
- bruce511 2y ago
  A suitable alternative to McDonald's is learning to cook. Or pay a bit more to go to a nicer joint. Quality does cost more. As long as you keep signaling to MD that you'll tolerate more and more crap for lower prices, they happily oblige.
  - pdimitar 2y ago
    Another trope that never gets old, it seems. Many people have stopped going to McDonald's by the way. But not enough for McD to hurt. Then what? What does our agency change in the world in this situation? You are using cop-outs as well.
    - bruce511 2y ago
      Cooking for yourself is a trope? You realise that's what most of the world does every day. If making your own meals is literally out of your reach then I feel really sad for you. That must truly suck to be so dependent on companies just to eat...
      - skyyler 2y ago
        Do you grow 100% of your own food? It may be helpful for your understanding (and this conversation) to get off the high horse and realise that you're also dependent on companies "just to eat".