The age of electronic advertising is reaching fever pitch. I remember when television first hit the scene (yes, I am that old) there was very little commercial interruption. With the advent of cable TV the programming was supposed to be commercial free because we paid for the service, but that didn’t last long. Today an hour long TV show contains about 15 to 20 minutes of commercials. So be it, life is like that.
However, I am now getting advertising through the Internet via my email account and through my Facebook account and through my Twitter account. I particularly dislike the email advertising because even though I can filter some out, put it in a spam folder, or hit the delete button, I really hate the message.
Just this past week I got ads for covering gray hair, dispelling body gases, erasing wrinkles with a miracle cream, keeping dentures stuck, and dating singles over the age of 45. I also got ads for refinancing my mortgage, hiring a maid, checking my credit status, elder-diapers, and finding lost classmates. God knows if my classmates are lost I am not the right person to find them. I can barely find my keys these days.
Obviously, they know I am old, or at least over 45. But, I really don’t need to be reminded that there are some bodily functions that are failing and need attention. I already know that! As for dating singles over 45, they obviously don’t know I am happily married. My financial status is really none of their business and if I get another electronic message to check my credit rating I’m going to puke.
What really annoys me about these ads is that they (whoever those “They” folks are out there) have no clue that I am smart, bright, intelligent, cultured, well-read, and enjoying a higher standard of life than they are offering. I have no plans to become an old fart sitting around drooling wondering if I can eat an apple without my dentures falling out. I also have no plans to erase one wrinkle on any part of my body. I earned every one of them and, thank you very much, most of them are smile wrinkles!
So, all you advertisers out there who are hacking into my email, Twitter, and FB accounts, you can go elsewhere to peddle your wares. I don’t want them. I don’t need them. And, your message makes it quite clear that you have no idea who I am.