rant about freedom of speech - thoughts?

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It is increasingly difficult to communicate without advertising something, because most of the products and services nowadays come in a pack and they have a brand name.


For instance if I wanted to ask you in the forum, what your favourite juice is, I would not be happy with the simple answer "pomegranate juice", because there are hundred of brands for the same juice!



So you would have to provide me with the brand name.
To me it is nearly a breach of human rights not to be able to answer freely with the fear that somebody is going to prosecute you because you advertised a product.

Not in todays world where as I said, where most things come in a pack.



I like your boots, where have you bought them? There is kind of no way to answer that one, without mentioning the name of the shop or the brand of the boots if they are designer boots. Unlikely the answer would be: "my mother made them for me".



So this hysteria of stopping yourself from communicating as you would like, because you feel you are promoting something and you shouldn't, is first of all a big nuisance, second a hindrance to progress.


Please let me know you thought on this.
  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Originally Posted by pickthat apple View Post

    if they are designer boots. Unlikely the answer would be: "my mother made them for me".
    Someone once said that all know one another within six degrees. So you might be able to say "My father's uncle's sisterinlaw's cousin's brotherinlaw's mother made them for me!"

    steve
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
    There's a difference between saying "These are Uggs and I got them at Payless." and saying "Click my link to buy them from me". One is advertising. One is self promoting an affiliate link.

    Of course, I am only referring to what is said here on this forum. Out in the real world, if you recommend a product it's because you like it and want to share. That is the best kind of advertisement a product could get.

    I am confused about one thing though... where is this "histeria of stopping yourself to communicate because of fear you are promoting something"?
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    • Profile picture of the author pickthat apple
      I want to say that I myself, as well as others, don't feel at ease communicating in a forum or public speech for example, in the knowledge of the fact that every word identifying a specific product can be interpreted as promoting that product.

      Since nowadays everything has a brand, to me it looks nearly impossible to avoid mentioning brands, stores etc. in everyday conversation.

      PS I am not referring here about explicitly promoting the product which is of course a different matter.

      And may I expand this also to pictures where the source is not present for us to supply and it would take ages to retrace every step of that picture to get to the original source.
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  • I like your boots, where have you bought them? There is kind of no way to answer that one, without mentioning the name of the shop or the brand of the boots if they are designer boots. Unlikely the answer would be: "my mother made them for me".
    If that could only be true...
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      You think too much.

      If I ask you what car you like, and there have been threads such as that before, you would juts write what car.

      You wouldn't write compact executive class, you might write BMW 3 series.

      If you ask what do you like to drink most people would just say apple juice or tea.

      Not because they are thinking about promoting something it is just that that might be the answer.

      If you then said any particular type? then I am sure they would just say PG Tips or whatever.

      I think it is only in your mind that people are thinking they may come across as promoting something.

      Have I understood you correctly?

      By the way what type of Apple would you like to pick? I like Bramleys myself. Quite nice in a crumble.

      Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by pickthat apple View Post

    To me it is nearly a breach of human rights not to be able to answer freely with the fear that somebody is going to prosecute you because you advertised a product.
    Who's going to prosecute anyone? Are there criminal laws about this, now? :confused:
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  • Profile picture of the author Big Rob
    Agree with Dan. Turn up the blender a bit and get that stuff to stick to the side.

    If ,on the other hand ,you are deferring consciously from mention preferred products and services, you are cheating yourself, those product and service providers and most importantly your audience.

    Why not share a good experience with others?

    If you're promoting it give full disclosure. If you're worried about repercussions remove the affiliate link and give a clean link ( and say so)

    If not its just friendly advice.




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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Please let me know you thought on this.
      I think you are trying to find a way to complain about something - but not sure what or why.

      I can post here that I like my Timberlake boots. No one is going to bash me for that unless I post that statement in an incorrect forum section.

      What I can't do is say "I like my Timberlake boots and you can see them here"...and include an affiliate link to the boots on amazon or on my own site.

      I think most people understand that - some never will figure it out.
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      • Profile picture of the author pickthat apple
        Thank you. I got the point. As long as I don't actively promote that product, I can mention the make etc. without it being an issue.
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        • Profile picture of the author John Durham
          Originally Posted by pickthat apple View Post

          Thank you. I got the point. As long as I don't actively promote that product, I can mention the make etc. without it being an issue.
          Right. Usually if someone wants to know more about the things one promotes we have sigs, and people can optionally click them, but if we were to include affiliate links in all of our answers , there wouldnt even be real conversation here, every other line would be a brand name with an affiliate link.

          People would stuff their posts with links like they do keywords when they are google spamming. You know those web pages that repeat the keyword 100 times, so much that the content doesnt even make sense?

          Ironically, no one would buy because everything would sound like gibberish. Thats not how you really sell anyway.

          Edit: For that reason Allen has sound judgement in making things that way, rather than being a dictator as some portray him.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Remember it is a privilege to particpate here and not a right. This is Allens property not the publics. If you dont like it, go play ball somewhere else. Thats always an option.

    Lol. Freedom of speech...
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
    Originally Posted by pickthat apple View Post

    For instance if I wanted to ask you in the forum, what your favourite juice is
    Gatorade Lemon & Lime hands down.
    (though rare in the UK).



    ...or Tropicana Pineapple Juice.

    I like your boots, where have you bought them? There is kind of no way to answer that one, without mentioning the name of the shop or the brand of the boots if they are designer boots.
    I'm one of those people who are guilty of wearing Crocs (indoors) as a slipper substitute. They don't have the silly holes in the top though. Basically just a rubber clog that doesn't go clip clippedly clop.

    Bought them from Amazon.co.uk

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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    As far as I know, the only times you need to be super-careful of mentioning or displaying brands is when you're publishing and broadcasting artistic creations for profit such as filming a movie drama, publishing a fictional novel, or publishing songs. In such cases, one first needs to get permission or purchase rights to use brand in question. Sometimes they'll actually pay to have their products displayed (eg Coke being sipped by judges on American Idol). I don't want my son to wear shirts brands such GAP in Nike boldly displayed in big letters since they didn't pay him the rights to advertise their products.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I don't want my son to wear shirts brands such GAP in Nike boldly displayed in big letters since they didn't pay him the rights to advertise their products.
      That made me laugh but it has a bit of an entitlement ring to it. "Don't do anything unless you are paid for it" is not the lesson you want to send to your little guy.

      Of course I never understood why people pay to wear clothes with someone else's name on them anyway.
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      • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        That made me laugh but it has a bit of an entitlement ring to it. "Don't do anything unless you are paid for it" is not the lesson you want to send to your little guy.<snip>
        Yeah, it is amazing how corporations think they're entitled to have their products advertised for free. Don't be exploited is the lesson I want to give my little guy along with: be creative, enjoy life, be good to people, be good to yourself, work hard, earn your own money, don't loot from government, don't work for organized crime such as Monsanto, Bank of America or Hells Angels.
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        • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
          People thrive on sporting the brand.

          That's the productive circle.

          I still agree with you though.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Of course I never understood why people pay to wear clothes with someone else's name on them anyway.
        I feel the same about guitars... the Eric Johnson Stratocaster for example is the greatest one ever, but I cant seem to buy it because it says "Eric Johnson" on it. I guess you would have to have been there...:rolleyes:
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        • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
          Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

          I feel the same about guitars... the Eric Johnson Stratocaster for example is the greatest one ever, but I cant seem to buy it because it says "Eric Johnson" on it. I guess you would have to have been there...:rolleyes:
          I feel exactly the same, but I couldn't help buying a "cracked" signature acoustic that had £140 knocked off the price.

          The name (J Sebastian - Mexican guitarist) is on the reverse of the headstock anyways to no harm done!

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          • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
            Originally Posted by Daniel Evans View Post

            I feel exactly the same, but I couldn't help buying a "cracked" signature acoustic that had £140 knocked off the price.

            The name (J Sebastian - Mexican guitarist) is on the reverse of the headstock anyways to no harm done!
            it's certainly better than this:
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            • Profile picture of the author Big Rob
              Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

              it's certainly better than this:
              Now thats just wrong... the backne not the swoosh
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  • Profile picture of the author jjarrett
    Seriously, whatever happened to common sense? If you ask me what my favorite juice is, and I tell you the brand I buy, I'm not advertising. I'm making a recommendation, or I'm just telling you because I want to. Not sure how this could be construed as advertising, but then, what do I know? Don't mess with my free speech rights! I stood up for them once. I will fight to the death to keep them.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by jjarrett View Post

      Don't mess with my free speech rights! I stood up for them once. I will fight to the death to keep them.
      I hear that! On the other hand, if Im at my Grandmothers house, I can respect that certain things are not allowed to come out of my mouth when visiting there.
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  • Profile picture of the author socialentry
    I don't have a favourite brand juice, for me it's all the same.

    I do like dijon mustard though.
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    • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
      Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

      I don't have a favourite brand juice, for me it's all the same.

      I do like dijon mustard though.
      You lose, Grey Poupon was the correct answer
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