Constant advertising

I would even go further than that and say to an astonishing degree our culture and language, our very thoughts are largely a product of Corporatism.

And yet there's only the one and only Consumers Reports to educate the consumer. Unbelievable.

That’s the price of all the free crap you want, OP

Those video screen gas pumps are especially awful.

OP "And every ads wants to make you believe your life will somehow be better if you give them your money."

It has been ever thus and will be ever thus.

"Buy this and your life will suck" may be a unique selling proposition, but I suspect it's not a very effective one.

I feel that people used to talk a lot more about advertising, that their were reports and articles about it and its effects. Now, it's as if advertising "won" -- no one dares criticize those who pay their salary.

Capitalism is the American economic system and it depends on everyone constantly buying stuff.

When I was in nursing school back in the 70s, it was considered unethical for pharmaceutical companies to advertise prescription drugs anywhere except for professional print journals. It was OK for OTC remedies like Alka Seltzer or Excedrin, but not prescription drugs. Once they started using the preface "Ask your doctor if X is right for you..." the floodgates were open.

Same with lawyers. You never used to see lawyers advertise on TV, but once they started using that disclaimer about how "the choice of a lawyer is an important decision, blah blah" all bets were off. Now there are armies of personal injury, workers comp and accident lawyers claiming they can get you millions, not to mention the class action suits against drug companies, Camp Lejeune water, talcum powder and baby food!

And then, of course, insurance. Mutual of Omaha used to have stately Marlin Perkins kindly mention their sponsorship during WILD KINGDOM - now we have the hideously dumbed down Liberty Mutual ads, Progressive's Flo and her crew, and worst of all, the ads targeting seniors to buy reverse mortgages or those "final expenses" policies so their kids won't be stuck with their bills.

Take away all of those and there would be almost nothing left!!!

It's all a racket and always has been, it's just the constant connection all the time now that makes it so intense. Advertising has been around forever.

Constant advertising is one of the main reasons I am quitting social media.

Ads in elevators are nuts! Must every moment of my life be filled with ads????

R8, I believe only the US and New Zealand allow drug advertising on TV

I have a TV at home and streaming, so I rarely see TV ads.

When I watch TV in hotels, I’m amazed how there are ads every 5 minutes and the lawyer ones are on all the time.

OP, it goes way deeper. Most of us are raised to believe that we are broken and unworthy. And that is why we respond to advertising when they promise us to make us and our lives better, make us whole, make us worthy.

R12, I'm seeing them more in Canada.

Hospitals are advertised on TV. That was never done years ago.

R12 Drugs advertising was introduced by Reagan. Damn his soul.

R7 the American system is Consumer Capitalism

What's the body that oversees and regulates truth in advertising? Is there one?

Leela: Didn't you have ads in the 20th century?

Fry: Well sure, but not in our dreams. Only on TV and radio. And in magazines. And movies. And at ball games and on buses and milk cartons and t-shirts and written on the sky. But not in dreams. No siree!

On the plus side, once you realize how constantly insidious and malicious advertising is, it's easier to tune it out.

And now it’s Xmas season. It will be incessant.

Xmas is really about just buying stuff until you get into deep debt

You don’t look in any direction without an ad assaulting you

I see how my nephew and niece are affected by this. All they talk about is “can you buy me…?”

I actually said, today we will not talk about things you want to buy

Especially pertinent to gay people. Looking back I think shaming during school and the years of growing up and the punk rock resistance culture shaped me while still unconscious of the implications of uncooperativeness, especially in regards to making a living.We were gonna be rockstars so why cooperate. A broad picture of how the world works doesn’t come till later in life so we’re vulnerable when young. Traveling to a really different culture is a great way to expose one’s cultural unconsciousness to oneself. Bicultural people have an advantage because they have a clearer picture of the border between culture and self.

I think ads that people are forced to watch should be illegal. It used to be possible to avoid the ads but on some platforms like YouTube have some videos with the option to skip ads, but others are forced through. Ironically even consumer reports requires a fee. Also if people try to discuss the quality of goods or services online the response of the company being discussed is not infrequently to get attorneys involved.

The best are the self-important Apple and other tech company adds that promise to emotionally complete you.

Meanwhile, once upon a time, stars making TV commercials were an anomaly. It was embarrassing and so destructive for their brands that they needed to do make them for foreign markets like Japan (Dustin Hoffman in the 1980s) or Brazil. Now stars are all dirty, hungry whores.

A good example of the power of advertising is how many people drive giant guzzling resource consuming vehicles, totally unnecessary. It’s not just a penis thing plenty of women too will willingly work overtime for a giant truck they don’t need. Who benefits. The same old corporate guard that decides your politicians for you. That’s the power of the corporates. It is so great and ubiquitous it’s like the water we swim in. While I’m here I’m going to say why should everyone be in debt for a house, who came up with that and why is it normalized to be in debt. Who benefits. You start thinking about this stuff and you will go nuts.

OP is a Chinese womon trying to get us to crowd-write her term paper

Minority Report had it right. All your personal information is being culled to allow companies to advertise directly to you

[quote] Ironically even consumer reports requires a fee.

Duh. That’s because Consumer Reports accepts no advertising, and is supported entirely through subscription fees, and grants and donations.

Am watching the World Cup match England/USA right now and fuck me there's adverts on every square inch of the stadium and the screen. Plus the ad breaks. Beyond a joke. Just show me my useless football men that's why I'm torturing myself to watch this.

It's great career opportunities for black people. Got a commercial, any type of advertising, or a television host opening? First option is a black person, preferably a woman.

Our whole economy depends on people buying shit they don't need with money they don't have. Accumulating worthless crap is how the middle classes keep score between themselves.