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Critic's Corner Discuss a review. Provide constructive feedback. Talk to the industry. |
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Critic's Corner Discuss a review. Provide constructive feedback. Talk to the industry. |
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In Reply to: So, you're utterly unable to explain your belief that discounts cause corruption posted by Rob Doorack on May 24, 2009 at 15:20:35:
... but we don't know which half."
I expect you're familiar with this oft-quoted complaint. No, the business of persuasion is not an exact science and no, I don't have the forensic skills to prove what you - disingenuously? - ask.
And yet:
Does anyone really believe that trade discounts, freebies, etc do nothing at all to influence reviewers' opinions, that such 'benefits' result in absolutely no feelings of gratitude or beholdenness, conscious or otherwise?
Of course, it would be silly to claim there's direct 1:1 reciprocity involved most of the time. Marcel Mauss wrote interestingly about this in his book The Gift in the 20's. I'm pretty sure Vance Packard had something to say about it, too, in his classic The Hidden Persuaders.
And to take a more life-or-death example, how delighted can any of us be by the thought that doctors' prescribing decisions have been subtly influenced by drug company-sponsored trips, meals, desk ornaments, etc, etc?
I'm not saying such marketing practices can be eliminated from every sphere of life - not even just the essential ones like medicine and audio! - but I do think consumers, at least, should bear them in mind when reading reviews or listening to recommendations, perhaps adding a few more grains of salt than they already do.
Going back to my original post, I'm still quite irked that I paid good money to read the editor waxing lyrical about the astronomically-priced Nordost Odin line when a month or two later I could have got his thoughts free as advertising bumpf. Sure, one doesn't begrudge anyone career success in an honest line of work, but it's sad that the magazine's reputation should be sullied by the 'niggling doubts' that will arise in many thoughtful readers' minds.
I fear we're going to have to agree to differ, Rob, but feel free to have the last word.
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