Advertising is a powerful force that defines what you want and believe without you noticing. I believe this seemingly innocuousness manipulation is the main reason our society is in the troubled state it is.

We have always known advertising in all its forms is powerful. It has financed newspapers, radio, tv and now google, facebook and others. In its more sinister forms, disinformation, propaganda, cults it has started wars and allowed dictators to exist.

You repeat the same thing enough times people believe it whether it’s true or not. If you confront someone’s false belief, they dig in their heels and believe it more. Our leaders believe the nonsense and inforce it. People are not rational and it doesn’t matter if their beliefs are false or against their best interests and they will fight for them.

The reason it is a problem today is that the internet voice is stronger and more focused. We live in self enforcing echo chambers.

The internet is free because companies make money from advertising. They’re perversely incentivized to maximize engagement and the most engaging content is anger causing disinformation.

Our government checks and balances are breaking down. Policies are being put in place to serve a few rich and powerful. Bills become laws the more money backing it.

When you see laws that band studying something, you know it not in the best interest of society.

We need to recognize how much we are susceptible to manipulation and everyone needs to be taught.

Laws need to be written like we did for smoking ad bans.

People in power need to be held accountable for the lies they propagate even when they believe them.

Steve Flenniken
March 2025