[omega_rythm]

> No user would opt-in to commercials, ever. I don't believe for a second this system was designed with opt-in in mind.

The occidental mindset is heavily geared against advertising. If you got free rebate coupons, gifts, etc. as rewards for opting in, would you still refuse it?

I'm trying to say that we don't necessarily see the whole picture, and the article doesn't give hints about the purpose of that "feature".

[potatolicious]

> "The occidental mindset is heavily geared against advertising."

As opposed to the oriental mindset? Speaking as one, I'll still take no ads, thanks. IMO it's a mistake to look at East Asian cities (and the assault of advertising it presents) as some kind of preference for advertising - in the same way you can't look at LA and come away with the conclusion "wow, people really love being stuck in traffic!".

[omega_rythm]

Well, I don't know.

I think that people from the west tend to see the negative aspect of advertising: people over here think "annoyance" (all the answers to my provocative post were like that — yeah, small sample, not significative), whereas in Asia it seems to me (but I may be wrong) that people see the positive side: the image I have is of people thinking "opportunity of bargain". Maybe I don't understand it. Websites filled with tiny ads, streets covered with neons and shop signs, they might very well pretend. And indeed, they don't have a choice, Like LA people stuck in traffic because there are no other ways, websites are just like that and consumers have to do with it.

[bediger4000]

* If you got free rebate coupons, gifts, etc. as rewards for opting in, would you still refuse it?*

Absolutely. I've boxed my tee vee and put it in the garage for months at a time because of advertising.

[01Michael10]

>If you got free rebate coupons, gifts, etc. as rewards for opting in, would you still refuse it?

Yes

[asavadatti]

Look at Jared Diamond over here. Just because we're plastered with ads doesn't mean we like em.

[omega_rythm]

I didn't talk about liking or disliking ads. I don't like medicaments but I find them very valuable.