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Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

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Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#61

Post by keiferski »

jonnycat wrote: post #28

I fully agree with the sentiment, and yet marvel at the apparent lack of alternatives for so many business models. I'm mildly surprised, for example, that micro-payments for web content are still not a (widespread) thing. Consumers hate ads, but they hate paying for things even more apparently.

It's not really clear to me that consumers hate ads. It seems like more of a tech niche opinion; most people are perfectly fine with watching TV commercials (and look forward to them at the Super Bowl) and don't mind using ad-tier streaming plans. Ad blockers are used by a tiny, tiny percentage of total browser users. And so on.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#62

Post by Mordisquitos »

someothherguyy wrote: post #21

This analogy seems weak. In general, this post argues one way while ignoring all the good advertising does. Do cancers typically do good things at their baseline?

> Do cancers typically do good things at their baseline?

I mean, true, a cancer will probably destroy its host organism. But what about the cells whose mutations allow them to think outside the box, and replicate and expand beyond their wildest dreams by throwing away the limits imposed by overbearing genetic regulations and expectations of the organism? Isn't that a good thing?

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#63

Post by A_D_E_P_T »

Like cancer, I think it's possible to split ads into two categories: Benign and malignant.

Benign ads are like ads for toothpaste, Febreeze, or airlines.

Malignant ads are, to give but two examples, for things like gambling and pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical business, in particular, was much more widely trusted and had far higher public favorability ratings in the old days when their advertising to the public was severely frowned upon.

Advertisements for vices are generally a huge net negative for society. Cigarettes, alcohol, prostitution/OnlyFans, TikTok and other mind-melting social media and mobile lootbox games... The less we see of them, the healthier society is. In places like the UK, where a huge volume (if not an absolute majority) of advertisements are for vices like sports gambling, you know that things have gone sideways. You can feel it.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#64

Post by DavidPiper »

"The Hidden Persuaders" by Vance Packard is the only book I've read that has actively given me mental and emotional tools to resist advertising.

It tells the story - with many deep, detailed examples - of how advertising went from information to persuasion across the mid-1900s, and there are some truly gross moral acts/steps along the way.

It can be a little dry at times (and some has of course been superseded by Surveillance Capitalism), but if you want to acquire a genuine disgust reflex for modern advertising, I strongly recommend it.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#67

Post by acc_297 »

The below section resonates: lately YouTube has figured out I am in my mid-twenties and considering for the first time how best to save money for a secure/stable future.

The number of ADs I see now not so subtly implying that I can expect to “lose big” or “rent forever” if I don’t subscribe to QuestTrade/WealthSimple/…

It’s just frustrating to know that someone put time and thought into making me and a million other folks in my “demographic bucket” feel anxious and worried.

I’m not sure how best to address this sort of thing and I suppose I can buy my way out of most internet ads if I want to so I acknowledge we all play a part in this market.

But some types of advertisements need to be highly regulated I would include Gambling, Pharmaceuticals, Alcohol on that list. But a broader class of non-luxury goods which are being advertised via a very negative framing of the consumers current situation are a social externality. They contribute to real health problems in the population and in my view that is reason enough to examine regulation.

> A marketer I know has a mantra, that successful sales are all about dissatisfaction - making people aware just how their situation sucks, and then offering a way to relieve the pain.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#68

Post by mopsi »

micromacrofoot wrote: post #37
cscurmudgeon wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would rather live with ads than with literal bread lines my family stood in decades ago, in a socialist state (that funnily had more govt propaganda than ads).

my local food bank has lines every week

Now imagine the entire society standing in such lines, even the best doctors and brightest engineers, for all basic necessities, not knowing if there's anything left by the time it's their turn.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#69

Post by superfunny »

diego_moita wrote: post #19

Every form of manipulation of people through information is a "cancer": advertising, political ideologies, religion, escapist entertainment, etc. The problem is that truth is very hard to establish for those that don't want and don't understand logic. They're "cancers" that people want because they're comfortable with it. Also, if we try to control these cancers by restricting what information is allowed we will crea…

"The problem is that truth is very hard to establish for those that don't want and don't understand logic"

Not every truth is revealed through logic.

Re: Advertising Is a Cancer on Society (2019)

#70

Post by lanthissa »

Maybe its just a function of growing up during the transition of physical software to advert/subscription software, but i love the advertising model.

What google has done for the web; youtube, maps, gmail/gsuite, chromium/v8 are fantastic products that cost huge sums to develop, and the world gets to use them for free. Thats amazing. Its a huge gift to society that the a fantastic knowledge and productivity suite is available to everyone.

I have a lot more of a problem with infinite scroll & algorithmic content delivery than advertising.

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