Most people that I've talked to about this (maybe 10 people?) think that it's bad to block ads on the grounds that we browsers collectively owe the content providers a means of revenue. Maybe I didn't talk to a representative sample-- I'm not sure. I generally don't hang out with many people who read HN or Reddit. But I think something like "I think granola contains meat," is a better example of something "breathtakingly hard to believe" than that I think I'm in the minority. [1]
Your example with the cardboard vendors is an interesting one. I'm not familiar with those things-- are they like an honor-system cookie jar or something? It's an interesting comparison, because I wouldn't steal from an honor-system cookie jar. Also, I think the raindrop/flood analogy is pretty good, except I totally accept that I'm part of the flood. I just don't care at all if the content providers want me to look at ads. They didn't build the internet, they didn't buy me a computer, and they didn't pay for my connection. They're trying to leverage a public good, like putting a billboard next to a highway, and I don't owe them my attention.
Thinking about it a bit, maybe it's because I do actually remember the internet before ads. It was kind of nice. If I hadn't experienced that, maybe ads would seem more palatable.
[1] I did actually know a kid who thought granola was made of meat. He was 12.
uhm, if we browsers do owe something and then all ads business shifts from pay-per-view to pay-per-click model does that mean that we will be obliged to click the ads?
I do not use ad-blocker (to be fair I do use clicktoflash plugin but the main reason is subpar flash performance on OS X) but I don't click on ads either.
Your example with the cardboard vendors is an interesting one. I'm not familiar with those things-- are they like an honor-system cookie jar or something? It's an interesting comparison, because I wouldn't steal from an honor-system cookie jar. Also, I think the raindrop/flood analogy is pretty good, except I totally accept that I'm part of the flood. I just don't care at all if the content providers want me to look at ads. They didn't build the internet, they didn't buy me a computer, and they didn't pay for my connection. They're trying to leverage a public good, like putting a billboard next to a highway, and I don't owe them my attention.
Thinking about it a bit, maybe it's because I do actually remember the internet before ads. It was kind of nice. If I hadn't experienced that, maybe ads would seem more palatable.
[1] I did actually know a kid who thought granola was made of meat. He was 12.