Free Effect. A new ice cream company in India has set up free ice cream vending machines on the streets to promote its brand. Result? People lined up at a very long distance in front of the vending machine. It was raining then, and the people in line went to a convenience store to buy umbrellas, then lined up again. Umbrellas cost much more than ice cream. However, people kept lining up. Cheap and free are two completely different concepts. When the price is low, sales increase slightly, but when it is free, an extraordinary dimension of the problem arises. It’s a privilege, so consumers are willing to pay a higher price to get something for free. Free is not a matter of reason; it is a matter of emotion. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Facts and fake news coexist on social media. So do claims and counterclaims. In theory, the new communication tools of social media give them equal opportunities to express themselves. It's a communication environment, unlike anything humanity has ever known. A great way to make your voice heard in this environment is to state your beliefs and connect with the people who support those beliefs through social media. Social media will connect you with sympathetic people, no matter how illogical or unpersuasive your beliefs. Traditional media can't structurally accommodate this mechanism, but it's a reality. - Joseph's "just my thoughts"