We are in total control of the choices we make, or...

[Gonad the Barbarian]

We as human beings are either:

1) in total control of the decisions we make and marketing merely makes us aware of potential choices or

2) not in total control of the decisions we make and marketing actively manipulates potential choices.

Vote.

 

[Crusty]

Not voting until you put a poll up.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Marketing is not in control of the decisions it makes either.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

It takes a sec man.

 

[Crusty]

It takes a sec man.

Well you asked me to vote and there wasn't a poll, just wanted to make sure you were putting one up.

 

[overst33r]

depends on how ignorant about the product you are.

in general, 2 holds true.

if you do your research and don't impulse buy, 1 is true.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

depends on how ignorant about the product you are.

in general, 2 holds true.

if you do your research and don't impulse buy, 1 is true.

When you actively research a product, aren't you effectively bypassing the marketing for it?

 

[JMapleton]

Free will does not exist, so the whole point of the discussion is mute.

 

[SlitheryDee]

When you actively research a product, aren't you effectively bypassing the marketing for it?

If all the research material you can find is marketing in disguise you're not. A powerful enough marketing firm could conceivably pay off all major review sites and magazines, hire people to give fake testimonials on forums and places like yahoo answers, tweak search engine results, and generally control all information about a product except direct word-of-mouth. It's a scary thought when you really consider it.

 

[gorcorps]

Free will does not exist, so the whole point of the discussion is mute.

MOOT, the point is MOOT

It's stunning how many people fuck this up.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/moot+point.html

 

[vi edit]

If all the research material you can find is marketing in disguise you're not. A powerful enough marketing firm could conceivably pay off all major review sites and magazines, hire people to give fake testimonials on forums and places like yahoo answers, tweak search engine results, and generally control all information about a product except direct word-of-mouth. It's a scary thought when you really consider it.

Scary? You mean Sony. Because they did that.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Free will does not exist, so the whole point of the discussion is mute.

Fail on multiple levels.

 

[Pheran]

I think the amount of control marketing has over your actions is pretty much inversely proportional to your intelligence.

 

[skace]

I don't think most people realize what control they have over their own life. That might sound shallow at the surface, but most people go through life accepting a lot of things either because they are too hard to change or they simply don't know how to change. Once you have really opened your eyes to what every single one of us is possible of, it becomes a whole different game.

I believe we are in total control, most of us just don't realize it. That skill itself has been practically lost.

 

[kalrith]

People are ultimately in total control. Unfortunately they willingly hand that control over to others: marketing, media, friends, family, politicians, etc. Some people don't want to think for themselves and make their own decisions. Therefore, they decide whom they'll trust and let them do the thinking for them.