So is the article.

You read it and agreed with it too huh? They seemed to really know what they were talking about, right? They played it straight, let us see how everyone else doesn't play straight with us.

Sure Dove is a scam. Its a business. A business tricks you out of money, they will do that for the rest of time. No you don't need moisturizing soaps, no you don't need scented body wash, it really doesn't effect any change in your life. Right up until you want it, and then it does effect a change, and then it is useful because you personalized the soap. You became part of a club, same with reading the article. See? You finished it. You're part of the "I can see the world as it really is" club.

Its not quite as selected as Dove ads but its sure as hell got a target audience and it sure as hell knows how to make them feel good about themselves. I know I read this and for a little bit went "yeah, I get it." Especially that part about self-esteem at the end? Golden. Tell them to work hard for something; people will justify how they are already doing that. They already agree with you, now hammer that in, make them want that ideal of working hard towards something, they want to believe that they are that guy.

The author references movies you like, things that are well known, even does the whole "I missed this article but NOW I'd like an intelligent discussion about it." The audience is predisposed form the get-go. Remember that Dove ad? Felt off right? Here comes an article, well written as it is, to explain why your feeling of it being off was correct all along, and not for the reasons that other people thought. You were correct and special this whole time.

Hell, my comment here is tricking you too. Didn't like the article? Look at this sarcastic guy, pointing out its flaws. Maybe it was something you just couldn't put your finger on, or maybe you just agreed with the points I made, but I bet you felt good at the end of my post too. Hey this guys runs a review site! You should probably go check it out! I mean, you already agreed with him once, right?

Everything is a sales pitch. You're already here, you've already made plenty of your own. Jobs, love, children, friends, family, its all meant to sell yourself or something else. Revealing that the whole world is a gigantic scam isn't something new, its not really all that revolutionary. The fact that a few more people know about it now and will forget about it in a month doesn't change things. People will always reconcile what they observe with what they believe, and they will do that until the end of time.

The only truth in the world is something that can be pinpointed with numbers and explained down to the senses, to the point where the only way that it could be incorrect is if everything is incorrect, if my red is your green. The sun is a massive ball of fusion between various types of molecules contained with its own gravity and with its own set of complex patterns and environments that we are just starting to comprehend. True. Two and two makes 4. True. You can sit down and prove it, with ways that have already been proven.

Everything else is a sale, from my reviews to this article to hubski to beauty products to your girlfriend. Someone has sold someone something; the idea that they are part of an intelligent community, the idea that they are right for each other, the idea that it is funny.

But so what? Here's my criticism here, and if you agree I want to hear why and not because you agree. So what if its a sale? I've talked about this when I've talked about bad movies, the idea that when you approach something from a different level you personalize it, make it part of you, make it special. Make it true, not for anyone else, but for you. That's the only other thing you can prove, your own opinions on something because you are the only person who knows what you think about it.

Whether its a bar of soap that smells nice, a partner in any relationship, an article, whatever, you make it yours. You change it in a fundamental way by putting your emotions in it, alter it in ways nobody else has because of how you've read it or invested in it or bought it. Its unique because its yours; there are feelings and emotions attached to that object or person or idea that can only come from a specific series of thoughts that you had about the object, and as long as you do that, as long as you make things special, you keep all of the shit at bay that we hate in the modern world.

So what if you were sold it so long as you give a shit about it? It doesn't cease to be special simply because of how it entered your life. You know what one of my favorite possessions is? Its a belt. I've had it since the 8th grade. Its one of the old studded leather belts they made a few years ago; I bought it at a Kohl's on sale, because by that time it was already out of fashion. I have now had it for 7, almost 8 years. Its stretched, its missing studs as they've come out, the silver coating on the buckle has faded to reveal that this whole time its been brass, the belt loops are stretched and the day it breaks I'm having it bronzed.

Its my belt. Nobody else has this specific belt; the studs aren't missing in the same places, its not nearly as cracked, its not worn down the same way. They haven't worn it almost every day for 5 years, haven't accidentally put it through the was countless times, haven't slung it over their shoulders as a stupid bandolier during a squirt gun fight. Yes, it was sold to me based on what was in fashion at the time, based on an image that was constructed to tell me what was "cool" and what wasn't, but so what? Its still mine. I made it that way.

Want to beat a scam, want to undermine the sales pitch? Make something out of it.

And go watch shouldiwatchthis.net for all of your movie review needs. Personalize all of the articles and share them with your friends! Donate to the site if you'd like to see more reviews, and for every 10 dollars I will send you a T-shirt I have worn, signed with a sharpie that I stole from work! Shipping isn't free.