Alright I'll let you in on a little secret that I have been sitting on for a while now: most things that people want you to buy suck.Most movies that people want you to go see suck, most music that people say sounds good does not, and most restaurants are not that good.
The problem starts when there are more people trying to make money than there are good ideas. So some ideas that are not that good have to get squeezed so that even the people that do not have a good product can still make money.
And this kicks off a bigger problem, because then some people start believing that the over hyped product is actually better than the actual good product... Paris Hilton anyone? So then the crap that gets the buzz starts to get the bucks and the good stuff starts to lose out because they don't fit the mold of what is "good" (critics walked out on Moulin Rouge... what is one of the best movies ever made). It really should matter how many times an ad for American Dad is appears. Even if you get tricked into watching the show (which I did fall for) after the first 10 minutes you should have an idea if it is worth your time or not (it's not). But I think people think that since it is being sold and hyped it must have some worth.
I mean seriously, how else is Applebee's and Chili's still doing it? They are overpriced, over flavored, and under whelming, while really good places like Rumbi grows slower than molasseses. It is because the general public gets tricked into thinking that they want to go spend their money on the hype -mistaking it for quality. These people mistake a company that has loads of money to blow on ads for a company that has a worth while product.
The key to fixing this is simple. When something is not worth spending money on, don't buy it, and warn others. Music that is uninspired and not true to itself (the third John Mayer CD for starters) should not be bought. Don't go to restaurants where it takes forever to decide what to get because everything sounds bad. Don't watch TV shows that are crap, just for something to do. And don't say that movies are OK, when in fact you think that they sucked. It doesn't do anybody any favors to keep things in business which are subpar. Because the answer most companies have for slumping sales is to advertise more, not to fix their product... well except for movies and music, they think they can fix slumping sales by calling their customers thieves... The quicker that we all are true to ourselves and realize that we should expect something good for our money the quicker companies will start to offer it.
8 comments:
Like many problems we face today, the effect would be reduced if most people just grew a spine.
I can't imagine how troubled the true invertebrate world must be.
Why on earth did you put V's pic on there? That was a great movie... :(
@neel- I am sure a jellyfish would just give all its money to the first person or object it would see.
@amber- Not to start a completely different conversation but I thought V was a very shallow attempt to make a political movie that was on the verge of just plainly telling everyone to go become a terrorist. It was a contradictory movie made for 13 year old boys.
I agree that most things suck. I don't like to be advertised to because there are so many things out there. Honestly, why are there 35 different kinds of chocolate chip cookie at the store, or 4 brands of milk, all at different prices? Is the $5 milk better than the $3 milk for some reason. We need to be more picky. Look at movies. Long ago, a few movies came out per month. Now, we have like 10 new ones each week! All those trailers say that some so-and-so from the Podunk Idaho press said it was "an action-packed thrill-ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat," so you go. Good call.
Ah your problem is that you assume that everyone likes what you like. If it were up to Mike's parents... only old country buffet and cracker barrel would be open. I think a lot of Applebees and Chili's food tastes pretty good. There are certainly other places I like better, but occassionally I like to go to Applebees and Chili's. A few years ago you guys went to Chili's every time I came into to town to visit. Of all of the restaurants I've been to, I have never found a better molten chocolate cake than the one at Chili's. Unfortunately, that's one of the few things I'll order there. Mike and I saw War of the Worlds after your review of it... we thought it was lame. So basically, I'm just saying that lots of things exist because there are lots of individual differences. You may not like it, but someone else does (and vice versa).
@think- I don't mind having choices that much, but having so many kinds of the same product is annoying... especially since some of the products are just slights changes, extra chocolate compared to normal chocolate...
@julia- I understand that everybody has different opinions, it's more of a complaint that we as a whole give a pass to poor products, and don't say when something is not satisfactory. We should though.
The reason we went to Chilis all the time is because that we the only place that we all could decide on.
TGIF is the most disgusting restaurant I've ever been to. I'd rather starve. I've always worked in restaurants and it continually blows my mind that most of them are owned by morons. I guess it takes one to feed one?
i think our society is just crappy homogenized.
and i agree that much of what's out there is crap.
i kind of liked v, and transformers, though. a lovely hasbro commercial. ;) it waxes nostalgic.
most people only like things b/c others like them. we're a sheep people ruled by corporations and media and entertainment.
i doubt that aspect will ever get better.
other things that piss me off: people who shop at wal-mart all the time for cheap, subpar crap.
america is all about the overproduced, overhyped, how-to-make-it-cheap goods.
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