Comment by btilly

Comment by btilly 7 hours ago

My preferences are based on my understanding of myself.

I do not have those problem addictions. Of course I am going to comparison shop for any large purchases. I am good enough about controlling spending that excess junk isn't one of my problems.

But what I do have a problem with is coming up with creative ideas for people in my life. So, for example, I would have never thought to look for https://www.zazzle.com/cup_equation_love-168099175298227864. But I'm very glad that someone out there knew enough about me to guess that this might be an item that I'd like. And my wife liked the cup a whole lot.

Does this happen often? No. But I'm perfectly happy to pay a premium for a product when an advertiser gets it right.

charlie-83 6 hours ago

There are always situations where an advert is useful and we remember those. However, when an advert causes you to spend more than you would, you have no idea it has happened.

Maybe you truly are above the influence of advertising. However, almost no one believes that they are affected by advertising yet clearly almost all of those people are wrong.

I find it safer to assume I am part of the vast majority of people who would be influenced by personalised advertising. Given that online advertising is basically the biggest business in the world, I assume that it would find a way to get money from me.

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btilly 3 hours ago

You do you. If you believe that you are helpless in the face of the temptation of advertising, you should avoid advertising.
But it would be nice if you worked on your listening skills as well.
You gave a list of major evils that consuming advertising leads to. I don't suffer from those evils. Or at least if I do, then I must also in serious denial to be unaware of it.
You also seem to think that I said that I am unaffected by advertising, and it doesn't lead to me spending money. This is a bizarre conclusion given that I said that I am affected by advertising, and I gave an example of where it did lead to me spending money.
But the critical difference is this. You treat advertising as an assault on your mind. Whose job is to enable evil corporations to steal your money. I view advertising as a discovery method. The world is full of innovators coming up with things that they think others may want. They then use advertising as a way to let people know that there is a thing that they may want. I rarely want it. But I'm willing to waste a bit of time on the pitch.
And on the rare occasions that I do get something, I actually enjoy it regularly. That cup I mentioned? I just made tea for my wife, and served it to her in that cup.
We are different people. I have a very different relationship to advertising than you do. The fact that it is different, doesn't mean that I'm wrong to be me.

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