apple (famously, the NYT had a pretty in-depth article about it) had the same problems with their mac vs. PC ad campaign here in the US. seems the hipster irony dude really grated, besides which everyone knows americans love an underdog.

The important thing is, confident people suck.

yes, but us insecure, self-loathers know we suck, while the confident continue to delude themselves, thus we suck less.

It's true. I'm pretty confident and I do, in fact, think you all suck.

not really, but hey

≡ Click to see image ≡

Jack says confidence is sexy.

Of course, Jack is dead now.

Dead is not sexy. And if you think otherwise, please don't tell me.

We don't get any broadcast tv*, so every time I'm exposed to ads, I get glassy-eyed and giggly over the Types presumably intended to come off as sympathetic. If the promoters are repellent, why would I want to buy their preferred soda/computer/detergent?

Also, I'm amazed at all the ads for alimentary aids. Is everybody really so very constipated? Please don't answer that.

*I know, I know, but we're less "Oh. Television, hmph" and more "Yeesh, $XX a month for cable? Um, no thanks!"

jonmc, I totally agree. Anyone who thinks they're on top of their shit is self-deluded, and avoiding delusional people is always a good idea.

Of course, I'll probably die young from the all-consuming self-hatred that rages within me, but at least I'll know I wasn't kidding myself.

suck it, winners.

"Yeesh, $XX a month for cable? Um, no thanks!"

Does everyone know that Bravo is free and unscrambled on chan 98 in New York, without a cable box? Result of some legal ruling that Warner had to carry it, but they didn't have a place for it in their scrambling scheme.

jonmc: yes, but us insecure, self-loathers know we suck

Imagine that. To me you always came off as, well, confidant.

To me you always came off as, well, confidant.

Have you been reading the same MeCha as everyone else? I'm probably be the most neurotic insecure fuckup of the entire MeChaNY posse.

No, you're the most frequently self-identified fuckup, who consistently states opinions so strongly that there's often little room for debate. That's not necessarily the model of confidence, but you also don't come across as "insecure" as you'd like to think. (Or as you feel inside.) I won't try to analyze whatever's behind that, but you need to allow for some latitude in other people's impressions of you.

I meant in real life, and in a likable way.

No, you're the most frequently self-identified fuckup, who consistently states opinions so strongly that there's often little room for debate.

No matter how strongly an opinion is presented, there's always room for debate. That's the nature of opinions. They're not facts. As I've said other places, the first rule of the internet is that if you say you love something, somebody will say it sucks and vice versa. I fully expect that and act accordingly.

But that's kind of beside the original point of the thread, which is that the characters used to represent the companies being promoted seem to be rubbing people the wrong way, which can't be effective advertising. OTOH, we are sitting here talking about them, so I suppose it's effective in getting their names out if nothing else.

I agree with you on the commercials Jon. Anytime I feel like I'm being told who I shouldn't like (as opposed to being asked who I like or don't like) I immediately start to like their antagonist and assume that even if I don't agree with them I probably sympathize with them. That's why commercials are clever dinner party conversation at best, they can't-by definition- present that most human of traits, ambivalence.


However I think confidence is another matter altogether. I think I carry myself with a certain amount of confidence in public, although I am also happy to share my extreme lack of confidence with almost anyone that I've known for more that two minutes (you know what I mean, I like to apologize). I think confidence is mostly something that people wear like an article of clothing, it never represents the naked self, it's a useful thing for getting through the day, but I don't buy it as a deep personality trait of value. I don't value it in others or myself the way I value a sense of humor or a willingness to concede a point or loyalty, which is the nuclear bomb of personality, the make or break, the 500 pound gorilla, tu sabes?

If I ever meet a person who is bedrock ass-out confident to the bone, I know I'm dealing with a dangerous asshole and act accordingly.

Thanks, DW, for saying what I was trying to say better than I did. I'm just irritable. The soles of my feet are aching, and a few days ago I backed into one of my carts and I have a growing bruise on my tailbone. Makes me irritable. Also, if I ever meet the people behind Horizons magazine, I will flay them alive. (long story, not worth it)

Sometime in September I'm going to come through and buy some books and then take you out for a well earned beer at Bull McCabes at the end of your shift. I won't forget.

Swing by table near the sellers desk. They've put me in charge of these carts (there's about a dozen of them, I do all the recieving, pricing, loading, lugging and in my downtime whatever else needs doing. lotsa lifting and stuff, tiring, but it makes the day go by). The dude in the pic is one of my craners. He's there every day. Whenever I come out with a handtruck or dolly full of bookes, he literally cranes his neck over my shoulder and follows me around. It's irritating, but then again it seems to be one of the highlights of his day, which I wouldn't want to take away from him. I think eventually we all get old and become somewhat like him.

penis penis penis penis slut whore penis bajingo Cape of Good Horn.

Wait...what?

Jon
My godfather, like really my godfather, but also like, my Godfather, the dude with the cotton in his cheeks, lives on that block, one of my former girlfriends used to work there, I've got one million fucking trade paperbacks from there, I sold books there in a hungry moment, I know the spot, I'll find you babes, no fear. I went to highschool just a long baseball toss away, that's my native heath. That store is as familiar to me as my childhood bedroom.

So, you know that Alltel commercial where the T-Mobile dude's phone starts vibrating, and he kinda grins embarrassedly, and one of the other cellphone company guys says 'So, where is your phone, anyway?' Just what is being implied there?

*rushes to look up 'rypes'*

*ahem*.