The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

528 THE FREEMAN Septemberso long as there's freedom of competitionthe consumer has hischoice not only of which productto buy but who to believe. Andnotice what is the alternative inthis world of imperfect humanbeings. The alternative, of course,is government control - still byimperfect human beings. So thereis no way to render oneself invulnerableto the possibility of false,fraudulent, deceitful messages.It would be nice to live in aworld where no deceitful men werepresent. It would be cheaper. Youcould believe any message re'"ceived. You wouldn't have tocheck out the credentials of everyadvertiser. But that is not theworld in which we live. You checkout the credit standing of individuals,the character of people withwhom you deal; and this is an unavoidable,necessary cost. Toblame advertising for the imperfectionsand weaknesses of mankindis unfair. Advertising wouldexist under any. type of free marketsystem. Advertising would beless deceitful if men were less deceitful.It would be more ethical,less offensive, if men were lessoffensive and more ethical. Butadvertising itself is an integral,inescapable aspect of the marketeconomy. I)WHAT DO YOU HAVETHE POOR-----------LEONARD E. READ-----------WHENEVER he hears someone demanda minimum wage law orany other impediment to freedomin transactions, my friend asks inall seriousness, "What do you haveagainst the poor?" His point iswell-taken. Unquestionably, manysponsors of welfare schemes - thelong-run effect of which is to killthe goose that lays the golden eggs- are well-intentioned. Theirhearts, if not their heads, are inthe right place. The idea that theyare doing offense·to the very personsthey wish to help is a shocker- hopefully, an eye-opener.