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jacob silverman's avatar

I am surprised this one came out coherently, and my two fans liked it!

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Thomas Cleary's avatar

I definitely agree with both of you, Andrew and Jacob. My Substack column, Just For The Hell Of It, although now two weeks overdue for a write, is and will continue to be free. Not because I don’t want any cash for my work but simply because the Internet of all things is nothing more than an endless line of outstretched hands willing to pilfer from my pockets if I do choose. I have long ago learned to laugh at words like “free”, “only”, “sale” and “limited quantities”.

Free doesn’t mean free. Now advertisers bake in a fee (the missing r is me growling) and then tell you your next year will them is gratis.

Only is just a way to minimize the monetary damage I incur if I want to buy something (“only $9.99” is the most asinine come-on I’ve seen in years). That concept of a single dollar price versus a double digit one works only if you’re an impulse buyer.

Sale used to mean that regular priced goods had been marked down to move for whatever reason. Now the retail price is artificially jacked up so that when you buy an item or service you think you’re getting a deal when in actuality you’re paying what the actual suggested retail was all along.

Limited quantities. I’ve got news for the sucker born every minute. Everything is of limited quantity even if there’s 3 million of them in stock.

Marketing is a scam, a ruse. And that’s why I don’t charge readers. Something should still be free.

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