this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2023
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That doesn't even make sense in the logic you've presented. Shareholders want to maximize value, which means selling more things to consumers, which means selling things consumers want.
If your entire worldview falls apart at the slightest scrutiny, it may be time to re-evaluate said worldview.
When you consider that marketing is intended to manipulate consumers into thinking they want your product, it's more about convincing people that your product has value, and that they need it, rather than selling something that consumers actually need.
You are not the arbiter on what people "need," and people do not only purchase or consume things based on "need." As a hilariously easy example, neither of us "needs" to be here right now having this conversation.
Again, it's time to re-evaluate the entire worldview
I never claimed to be the arbiter of what people need, but im just saying consumers dont have as much freewill as they claim when they're actively being manipulated at every corner. Marketing is literally intended to make you feel like you need a product you didn't previously want.
Consumers absolutely have free will. Do you have free will? You're not unique.
Also that is not the purpose of marketing. Marketing is designed to A) raise awareness of a product and B) show how the product is superior to other products.
Throw out the brain rot my dude.
I didn't say they had no freewill, i said.
And no, that is exactly the purpose of marketing, as defined in my college marketing classes. Marketing is designed to "Create value" for a product to a consumer. That is to say, make them feel like they want to buy it. And as far as tactics, its all manipulation.
There is a no percent chance you got a good grade in that class of you don't understand the concept of creating value
Gonna go ahead and assume that was an undergrad class
Look up manufactured scarcity. Great way to make money for shareholders without providing more to consumers. You charge them more for less. Notice any of that recently? Notice any record breaking profits in any industries?
I'll also give you another example of capitalists not giving a fuck about what consumers want: electric cars back in the 1990s. The auto manufacturers realized they would lose their parts and repair businesses, as electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, the oil companies got pissed, so they put some power together and used the federal government to overturn californias electric car act that consumers voted for. The also forcefully recalled electric cars from consumers can crushed therm.
Your logic that capitalists only do what consumers want is whats basic and flawed. If thats true, WTF is advertising? You think it's just a fun hobby that doesn't work? If advertising doesn't create false demand, why do it? We have evidence advertising creates demand, therefore advertising works, therefore you need to adjust your worldview to allow for the fact that some amount of the shit that consumers buy is nothing more than light brainwashing. Including you dear.
The difference is that efficient demand incentivizes h switchover. You're blaming businesses for... Not leading with changes their customers don't want