All of our technological advances seem to have been applied, in some fashion, to putting ads in front of eyeballs. The advertisers want to direct the development and use of (our!) technology towards the creation of "better" ads.
Why do we still need ads at all?
Perhaps in the past there was a role for advertising. In the past, one could conceivably have resided in the same region as a widget maker and the two not have had any knowledge of each other's existence. If no one knows you make widgets then how can they buy them? But in an age where information is so easily accessible, however, advertising feels as useless and out-dated as a phonebook. (Incidentally, have you looked at a phonebook recently? They're mostly ads now.) If I want a widget, I have the ability to see if there's a widget maker next door, or in China—or anywhere else in the world—that will sell one to me at a reasonable price.
Capitalism requires an educated public that can make informed, rational decisions. Advertising is the picture-of-a-french-fry-on-the-button version of capitalism. It is likely that advertising is now inextricably inter-woven into our economy and is here to stay, and this offends me. Basic economics courses talk about "economic inputs" and discuss one, cleverly named "entrepreneurial ability". This term is used to justify the offensive salaries "warranted" executives. The notion is that these well-compensated individuals earn their summer homes by "thinking big thoughts". We have made some pretty cool technological advances, but technology provides capabilities; it is how we apply those capabilities that matters. The first TV commercial aired in 1941. Since then, executive compensation has skyrocketed and our technology would be viewed as near mystical by their standards, yet the focus of all our technology is still putting ads in front of eyeballs. Has not one of these "executives" had any better ideas in the past 70 years than show ads to humans?
I see advertisements all over the place, but somehow our leaders seem unable to pay for the same level of society as existed before this technology was invented. These are the "big thoughts" that are worth a 7-figure salary? Does every new technology represent merely a new channel over which advertising may be delivered? Is this all we can expect from the future—more and better ads? I do not reject advertising because it is annoying, or intrusive, or invasive; no, better ads will not sate me. It is the very existence of advertising that offends me. I believe we can do better things with our technology.