[account42]

There are more industries that are basically parasites who don't contribute to society and instead insert themselves as middlement to extract value from others' work, yes. But no, you cannot apply this to any form of businesses. Many businesses fulfill real needs. If you'd take all agriculture away, everyone would starve. If you'd take all advertisement away then the world would not collapse. These things are not the same.

[xanderlewis]

> If you'd take all advertisement away then the world would not collapse.

That’s a statement that requires some evidence. Advertisement drives the world economy.

[tsimionescu]

There's a well known result in the tabacco industry, that tabacco sales didn't just disappear when advertising for tabacco was banned.

[xanderlewis]

What a stupid point. Tobacco is an addictive substance.

[squigz]

Make your own point better, without namecalling.

[xanderlewis]

No one in this entire thread has said anything other than the usual ‘capitalism bad’.

It’s not namecalling — it is a stupid point.