and btw, despite what people's opinions are, Poland is way better now than it was under Communism.
I don't know if you can't read graphs or what, but Poland was one of the only two countries where people think they're better off now than under Communism.
The results were close to 50/50. It's quite better than that.
See, here's your free market with massive corruption, and you're still trying to blame it on the Communists, 22 years after their governments fell. And you're telling the people that actually remember Communism and lived under both systems that their lives are better now because you know better... having never lived under it yourself, and probably not even having visited their countries. Isn't that awfully presumptuous? What would you say if those people started making assumptions about your life based on things that they figure must be true without ever having been to the U.S?
Few things. First, 22 years, after 70 years of oppressive rule that killed off anyone who was considered smart/intelligent, brainwashed the populace with propaganda, and killed anyone who dared to even attempt anything that resembled capitalism, isn't all that much. Second, everyone with any brains got the hell out of there as soon as they could (MASSIVE brain-drain in the late 80's and 90's), meaning most of those left are ones who were dumb enough not to know better, and preferred the socialist/communist system. Three, there are LOTS of people still living there, and outside of there, who remember the communist system quite well. 20 years means someone who is 30 still remembers it. And last, "presumptuous? LOL! I'm actually one of those "brain drains" and left in '89. So, no, I'm not "presuming," I remember what it was like, heard many stories from my grandparents and parents, and keep in touch with family members and friends who are still there. No presuming here.
I have literally no clue what you're trying to get at here. That some businesses don't advertise? Is that supposed to be some sort of revelation?
The average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertisements a day. It's a $150 billion a year industry in the U.S. alone. Just the insurance industry spent $4.15 billion on advertising in 2009, double what they spent in 2000. And State Farm, who almost never advertise according to you, was responsible for $514 million of that.
You claim that in an unregulated free market, advertising will go through the roof. I'm pointing out that there is already a lot of advertising out there, but really not that much for products we do use, and you don't have to buy from overpriced companies who spend too much on advertising, since it's extremely easy to price shop.