Ads and Evil – You decide
- April 21st, 2009
- Posted in Personal
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So, I was watching “Supersize Me” the other day, and the part about McDonalds marketing to children struck a chord. Not like it changed my world or anything, but I became immediately more aware of the impression that ads were leaving on my children. Kind of scary. I thought to myself “Ads are evil.”
A few days later I was browsing around the intertubes and I stumbled across the argument that using AdBlock in Firefox was the same as stealing from the people who ran those ads. Indeed, lots of free content is paid for by ads, and blocking those ads keeps the owners of the free content from ever being paid for your clicks.
I would like to support Ad Blocking. I mean, anything that is subconsciously able to make me want to eat crappy Fast Food, or buy something I don’t want, or whatever else it might impose on me through a number of impressions; I think I have a right to keep that out of my head. On the other hand, though, I understand people needing to be compensated for their time and effort.
So, what are your thoughts? Mental Poison, or Noble Funding of the Free World?
it sucks but is needed. I suppose we just have to play the game and teach those around us not to be sucked in by their methods. And as their techniques change- our awareness should grow- its a game I actually enjoy playing with them. but it does sadden me to see so many kids buying into this crap. There is no nobility involved just an evil that we have to tollerate. I dont blame the advert companies- i blame the people, two great lines from two great bands spring to mind in these arguments:
“give me convenience or give me death”
Dead Kennedys
“nevermind what they are selling, its what you are buying”
Fugazi.
I am completely fatigued and disgusted with the amount of advertising that permeates through every single thing we do ever. It is really ridiculous. There are ads all over websites, everywhere we drive, on television, on the radio, on buses, on signs held by people, on benches, on the subway, on the sidewalk, on blimps, holy crap … everywhere. There are even advertisements for other products on the products we buy. I think it is natural to want to shield yourself from as much of it as possible, especially when the advertisements your kids are seeing are making much more of an impression now than they will in 5-10 years. As far as the AdBlock goes, it’s your choice whether or not to ignore the ad. If you find ads of interest to you, don’t block them. People make the choice all of the time to ignore the ads they see, it is much more of a hassle to have to close an ad that has been forcibly opened on your monitor against your control. It is hardly stealing. In closing, you may choose to ignore this as well: Please everyone, get your shirts printed at printmytees.com
I think there are two types of ads really. The good ones that are tolerable and then the other type that are brainwashing people. Like the Mc’y D’s ads. I think we have all the right to block their ads and keep them from our conciseness, they don’t need more customers to fill their restaurants. Their job is done. They have succeeded as a business, they are powerful and they have plenty of recourses.
I think it’s different when artists, bloggers, and the like have ads related to the content they provide. They are doing something good and they deserve the revenue the ads draw in.
in a nutshell. I agree with you.