[SketchySeaBeast]

I guess the difficulty with this is that we're faced with groups that are actively telling us what to do by ways of advertising. They ask more nicely, and are at times much less obvious, but it's still has a great influence.

[umanwizard]

I'm perfectly fine with cigarette advertising being illegal, mandatory blank packages, and so on. I'd be very angry if they completely banned cigarettes, though.

[SketchySeaBeast]

Me too. I'm just weary of it appealing via marketing to those without the skills to fully understand their choices or to understand that their are being advertised to, like children.

[DominikR]

Then move to North Korea, I already wrote this before.

If you want to live here you either accept that you are in a society of free people who actually have a free will or you move somewhere else where you'll find like minded drones serving their dear leader who in turn takes care of them like a father figure.

We are not going to give up our freedom and turn into weak minded persons just to accommodate you.

[SketchySeaBeast]

I'm not even in your country, and honestly, I don't want to live there. Where you see people shouting "freedom" the loudest, I see fear, distrust, and anger. I'm just pointing out that no one is as free as you think you are because you always have influences. But I appreciate your willingness for open thought and reflection.

[DominikR]

You just "point it out" to convince me to casually accept regulating other peoples or other companies freedom to advertise away because you suppose that people are just sheep who can't help being controlled by it.

On top of that you probably do not even realise that you are arguing here for limiting freedom of speech.

> Where you see people shouting "freedom" the loudest, I see fear, distrust, and anger.

Am I supposed to feel bad now? I don't, I still want to keep freedom of speech.

> I'm just pointing out that no one is as free as you think you are because you always have influences.

Ominous and sometimes invisible influencers everywhere. Best way to deal with it: Censorship.

[SketchySeaBeast]

Sorry, I don't believe in absolute freedom of speech. In fact I don't believe in anything absolute. But enjoy your black and white world. It appears to be a very angry place where one either lives in a fictional idealized America or North Korea.

[DominikR]

I know that you don't. And I'm not moved in the slightest by your appeal to pathos.