MythTickle by Justin Thompson for November 26, 2008

Sir Dudley for commerce secretary.

60% off prices that are only 30% higher than last year.

Sadly, the post Thanksgiving sale started two weeks ago, and no one is buying.

Advertising is basically a means to get people with limited incomes to spend more money than they should. The wealthy tend to ignore advertisements. For a very interesting perspective on marketing, read “Murder Must Advertise” by Dorothy Sayers.

Someone much wiser than I once said:

“Happiness isn’t getting what you want; it’s wanting what you got.”

See folks, this proves it right here, you shouldnt read the newspaper (even the ads) if you want happiness. Ignorance is bliss.

OOOH. I want an iPhone… gimme gimme gimme. I want 20% revolving credit debt cuz I’m a REAl ‘MERICAN!!

Roger: that was a great story. A little different for Lord Peter, but a really interesting approach.

The recent New Yorker has an interesting comment on these Home Equity Loans that were so popular a few years back. They were marketed as a way to “recover” the equity in your home, to “pay off the bills and get just one payment per month,” especially to the elderly. One case mentioned: in the ’90s, an 80-something (I think) got a loan extending to 2037! Let’s see, she’d be only, umm, 120+ years old by then?

But the real problem: They trade bills, like doctor’s bill, with no interest due, for a mortgage with interest charged. And they take assets that are paid off, like homes, and put them back into play.

Now, that’s marketing!

Ignorance is only bliss for the ignorant, those of us who have to deal with them aren’t happy at all!