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Death to Bullshit

deathtobullshit.com

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Re: Death to Bullshit

#31

Post by hiq »

jessaustin wrote: post #18

People's capacity for bullshit is rapidly diminishing Even though this proposition is in bold 20-pt type, no arguments were offered to support it. It isn't obviously true, and indeed there are reasons to suspect the converse. Dare I say it, but a bald emotionally-appealing assertion of this sort seems sort of like... bullshit?

I recall only one person in dozens not having an ad blocker installed on his computer (how painful it was). Also many people pay for premium accounts on music streaming services instead of hearing ads once in a while. I think that, when given the choice (which is sometimes a few technical skills away), people would opt for less bullshit.

Of course that's only a valid argument when bullshit is not the main product. I don't doubt websites such as buzzfeed and 9gag will keep on thriving.

Re: Death to Bullshit

#32

Post by gress »

shostack wrote: post #10

As much as I dislike some of the current trends (and I do digital media for a living mind you), I do have to point out that this stuff wouldn't be done if it didn't work. Ultimately this implies that there are enough people out there who engage with or...dare I say...want...the bullshit, that their collective voice outweighs those that do not simply by the fact that those are often the users who click ads, share thin…

The fact that it works has nothing to do with people 'wanting' it or having a collective voice. It merely comes from a lack of alternatives.

Re: Death to Bullshit

#33

Post by 0xcde4c3db »

Encosia wrote: post #2

Be sure to click the "Turn bullshit on?" link at the top-right for a chuckle.

Also be sure to note the infinite-scrolling "you may also like" section, which starts with regular clickbait, then starts repeating "stories", then... gets worse.

Re: Death to Bullshit

#34

Post by mojuba »

jessaustin wrote: post #21
mojuba wrote: post #8

Can't say how effective this campaign can be, but I'm glad QR codes are now officially included in the list of bullshit. Can't agree more.

I guess I haven't seen enough of them in the wild to get annoyed by them? The use case seems to be to refer someone who sees a poster or other printed work to a URL, and when I've seen QRs used for that it has seemed reasonable. Are you seeing them in some other, less reasonable context?

I haven't seen a QR code that wouldn't lead to a plain online ad for a long while. Their other, "sincere" uses have diminished most likely because there are always more reasonable alternatives, such as a short and memorable brand/trade name that can be easily found online if needed. QR codes are really just an awkward way of collecting "clicks" so to say, and they require too much effort for that (take out your phone, fire up an app, scan, check results, go to the web sites, see the ad - oh really?)

At least in Dublin, Ireland you can still see them, e.g. on bus stops, sometimes on brochures here and there and as a rule the context suggests they should just lead to an ad and nothing else.

Re: Death to Bullshit

#35

Post by a3n »

shostack wrote: post #10

As much as I dislike some of the current trends (and I do digital media for a living mind you), I do have to point out that this stuff wouldn't be done if it didn't work. Ultimately this implies that there are enough people out there who engage with or...dare I say...want...the bullshit, that their collective voice outweighs those that do not simply by the fact that those are often the users who click ads, share thin…

> As much as I dislike some of the current trends (and I do digital media for a living mind you), I do have to point out that this stuff wouldn't be done if it didn't work.

> Ultimately this implies that there are enough people out there who engage with or...dare I say...want...the bullshit,

I don't think that's necessarily true. Just because deception is effective doesn't mean people want to be deceived. Just because alcoholism is "effective" in getting people to drink doesn't mean people want alcoholism. (A weird analogy, I know, but it logically parallels your conclusion, to an admitted extreme.)

Re: Death to Bullshit

#36

Post by andyidsinga »

see also, the book, "On Bullshit" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Bullshit )

This book should have a spot on everyone's desk in hard copy. Use it as a coaster, walk around with it in the hallways, take it to meetings. No need to preach from it though - its very presence will be enough of a sign to others re: your tolerance levels of the amount of bullshit stinking up the current situation.

EDIT: BTW, I do indeed have a copy of On Bullshit, but I use "The Elements Of Style" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style ) book in the exact same way as I suggested above for On Bullshit. I think they are two sides of the same coin :)

Re: Death to Bullshit

#37

Post by hebdo »

amelius wrote: post #30
rayiner wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that bullshit is a negative externality. It's cognitive pollution. Those who clutter the world with bullshit reap the rewards of nabbing the suckers who respond to it, but don't pay the costs of imposing those cognitive loads on everyone else. That leads to more bullshit than would be economically efficient. Take a simple example like billboards. If billboard advertisers had to pay every person whose l…

It's time for a tax on advertisements.

You mean like the "Google tax"?

Re: Death to Bullshit

#38

Post by bksenior »

It's funny. This page strikes me as the height of bullshit.

It's basically a manifesto written by an individual interested in being another absolute arbiter of taste. It completely ignores the nuances, relativism and circumstance of how people internalize ideas, make decisions and generally connect.

It even go as far as to say that it is the reason why being a great engineer or creator of things is am anti-pattern for NOT ultimately adding something worthwhile to society.

There is no absolutism to quality of ideas or structure of communications. Their is genuine hard workin taking what you create and weaving into people days and narratives.

This manifesto will one day embarrass it's creator with it's naivety when they are older and more experienced.

Re: Death to Bullshit

#40

Post by eponeponepon »

reinhardt wrote: post #15
mojuba wrote: post #8

Can't say how effective this campaign can be, but I'm glad QR codes are now officially included in the list of bullshit. Can't agree more.

Are QR codes still a thing? Or were they ever a thing? Dunno, my brain seems to filter them out automatically, I rarely notice them.

This seems apt: http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/
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