> Commercial culture is full of similar misdirections and evasions at the expense of the consumer. You’re not supposed to ask. Don’t think. Buy.
> Paid product endorsements, especially by real or purported experts, constitute a steady rainfall of deception. They betray contempt for the intelligence of their customers. They introduce an insidious corruption of popular attitudes about scientific objectivity. Today there are even commercials in which real scientists, some of considerable distinction, shill for corporations. They teach that scientists too will lie for money. As Tom Paine warned, inuring us to lies lays the groundwork for many other evils.
It's gotten so much worse since Sagan wrote this. I wonder what he'd think of the advertising monstrosity we have today, courtesy of Google, Facebook, etc.
I wonder how long until there's a well developed product placement ad system in podcasts. Everyone is skipping livereads so they'll sprinkle ad names within the content.
> Paid product endorsements, especially by real or purported experts, constitute a steady rainfall of deception. They betray contempt for the intelligence of their customers. They introduce an insidious corruption of popular attitudes about scientific objectivity. Today there are even commercials in which real scientists, some of considerable distinction, shill for corporations. They teach that scientists too will lie for money. As Tom Paine warned, inuring us to lies lays the groundwork for many other evils.
It's gotten so much worse since Sagan wrote this. I wonder what he'd think of the advertising monstrosity we have today, courtesy of Google, Facebook, etc.