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What If We Made Advertising Illegal? (simone.org)

submitted 2 weeks ago by sundrei@lemmy.sdf.org to c/mildlyinteresting@lemmy.world

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The idea feels like sci-fi because you're so used to it, imagining ads gone feels like asking to outlaw gravity. But humanity had been free of current forms of advertising for 99.9% of its existence. Word-of-mouth and community networks worked just fine. First-party websites and online communities would now improve on that.

The traditional argument pro-advertising—that it provides consumers with necessary information—hasn't been valid for decades.

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[–] RoyaltyInTraining@lemmy.world 83 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

The economy should exist to serve real needs of the people. All that advertisement does is create a fake desire for consumption which simply wastes respurces.

[–] Lyrl@lemm.ee 12 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

There is some awareness effect, too. If I like burgers and see a listing for a new burger place in my neighborhood, learning about a potential new place I'd like to include in my going-out rotation feels like a win. If I need a home repair and see a neighbor with a yard sign for a local contractor, that's helpful in compiling a list of potential companies to check out.

[–] Grazed@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

What about word of mouth? If I want to find a good place to eat, I find asking a local "hey what's the best restaurant around here?" to yield way better results than ads.

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