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I neither made nor implied any such claim. I simply pointed out the fact that people are perfectly capable of making decisions for themselves as to what they like and dislike.

However, since you brought it up, I guess that depends now doesn't it? No amount of advertising will ever get me to eat peas. Know why? Because I don't like peas. The exact same statement is true if you replace eating peas with smoking cigarettes.


Ok, ...again, I neither made nor implied any such claim. And again, people still have the final say in how they spend their money. The truth is people do have choice and the only people who fall into the trap you describe are the ones who choose to.


No, it isn't equally ignorant or idiotic. Why? Because I'm a consumer and am nowhere near being a sheep. I'm almost unmoved by the massive amount of advertising I'm subject to. Do you want to know why all those millions of dollars are spent on advertising? Do you want to know why companies run ads on radio, tv, in print, on the internet, mobile, and everywhere else they can find space? Because advertising isn't nearly as effective as you claim. Advertising is more like carpet bombing and cross your fingers that you got something good, rather than a precision strike and hits the target every time.


You clearly don't give people enough credit. While it's true, certain people lack the proper knowledge to make certain good purchasing decisions, for the most part people do just fine deciding what's best for them. As much as you would like to believe you are a more effective judge & jury to someone elses opinion, you are not and never will be.


Here's a more likely scenario.... A person walks into a cellphone store and tells the salesman what he's looking for. He also provides a ballpark price he's willing to pay. The salesman shows him different cellphone options that suit his needs, and the customer decides which one to buy.

What's more likely, that the guy made a bad purchase (one that doesn't suit his needs), or a good one (one that does). And in the event he isn't satisfied with the phone, is it more likely he returns it for a different one, or keeps it and complains for the next X years?

Here's a terrific piece of advice... Never underestimate peoples ability to think for themselves. Further, their ability to make good decisions based on their own needs, wants, and (dis)likes.