# What industry is most built on bluff and bull feathers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994 "2020-08-01T16:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/1 "2020-08-01T16:20:40Z")
When I last went to a mall in Vegas, a fetching woman in the lobby offered to sell me a facial skin care product “made out of diamonds” with free samples for a bargain price. I presume types of sand, pencils and charcoal can be kind of made out of diamonds too. So any product that purports to eliminate wrinkles with visible differences(!) and chemicals holding a bazillion times their weight in water probably are fairly temporary. But there are other industries which sell more sizzle than steak? Which are the most egregious? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/2 "2020-08-01T16:33:25Z")
Well, right off the bat there’s actual diamonds. But just about anything that doesn’t have basic utility or necessity is sold this way. That facial product makes it’s customers happy, so do engagement rings, so do video games and fast cars. If it’s a luxury item it will be marketed with a lot of glitz at an inflated price. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/3 "2020-08-01T16:40:14Z")
I was going to say ‘real estate,’ but then thought to extend that to ‘sales, period.’ But then I thought about marketing. Which made me think of the use of fear in advertising, which, based entirely on my own opinions, led me to think of organized religion. Conclusion: I can’t decide between these and likely many other choices, although I think they’re all strong contenders. Thus, I haven’t really forwarded the discussion. Oy. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/4 "2020-08-01T16:44:43Z")
Advertising. Much of the time it’s creating an artificial demand for a product. They even started the phrase, “sell the sizzle, not the steak.” ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/5 "2020-08-01T20:25:42Z")
Religion. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/6 "2020-08-01T22:24:42Z")
The signal-to-noise ratio of the supplement industry is very low. "(Advertising) even started the phrase, “sell the sizzle, not the steak.” At least the steak existed and was presumably tasty. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/7 "2020-08-01T22:28:45Z")
Most financial planning, especially that offered by brokerage houses. Poster @tripthicket has it about right. If they’re selling something, anything, it’s mostly bullfeathers; the rest is just details. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/8 "2020-08-01T23:58:13Z")
Audiophile equipment. If you cannot measure a difference, there is not a difference. Hundreds of dollars for wire cables. What a bunch of Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/9 "2020-08-02T00:13:22Z")
Our local dollar store has secured a supply of some “Monster Cable”. How much did that used to cost? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/10 "2020-08-02T00:31:17Z")
More than the entire rest of the store’s stock… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/11 "2020-08-02T01:31:28Z")
The entire marketing industry (advertising, public relations, promotions, etc.) is based on the idea of selling the concept that they CAN sell the concept. Of course, the growth of that industry led to the rise of consultants who are selling that concept to the sellers of that concept to the companies who use it to sell actual goods and services. Marketers have no steak, only sizzle. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/12 "2020-08-02T02:06:37Z")
Premium vodkas. ---
**Author:** ![steepone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@steepone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steepone)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/13 "2020-08-02T10:05:42Z")
Health supplements would have to be high on the list ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/14 "2020-08-02T10:34:27Z")
Is that actual Monster branded cable or a Chinese ripoff almost-Monster cable? They’re both utter piracy, just of a different sort. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/15 "2020-08-02T12:27:06Z")
…this [thread](https://twitter.com/Chronotope/status/1078003966863200256) on Facebook video metrics and traffic numbers, IAB numbers, App numbers, agency numbers, what is and isn’t trending, affiliate link referrals, the users, and how **everything is fake** , both blew my mind and made me openly weep. Its an entire industry made up of hot-air. The “pivot to video” trend of a few years ago that decimated newsrooms happened because of this. > [@Aram Zucker-Scharff](#): > > Everything is fake, no one knows what is going on, there’s not even a mechanism to create trust, much less incentive to use it. The only people in the internet ad tech game you can trust are the ones who this is hurting the most: legit advertisers, legit publishers, users. > > But with every extra middleman or bullshit ad tech company added to the chain it becomes exponentially harder for the three main points in the marketplace to talk to each other or know what’s going on. > > … > > The internet is full of fake bullshit, run on fake numbers, profitable on fake models, feeding you fake information, supporting fake users. None of this is by accident. Make good choices, build the right technology, tell Congress to start making laws. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/16 "2020-08-02T12:46:55Z")
Lol, I was literally thinking of the same tweet thread by Aram. My answer: Poker tournaments. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/17 "2020-08-02T13:44:30Z")
Anything labeled “probiotic.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/18 "2020-08-02T14:12:53Z")
Coaching. You spot a post somewhere, by someone who seems to have an interesting way of looking at things. It brings a wry smile to your lips or makes you think a little more deeply about something. So you start reading their blog. Soon there are offers for one on one coaching, so that they can engage with you in a thought-provoking and creative process that will inspire you to achieve your true potential. Then they segue to seminars where you can learn, from them, the keys that will enable you to work with others in a thought-provoking and creative process that will inspire them to achieve their true potential. Then the coaching guru will reveal that they have given up actual one to one coaching to concentrate on working with new coaches, teaching them about the marketing skills that are often overlooked in setting up a coaching business. One much like the one that they had I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/19 "2020-08-02T15:25:56Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …this [thread](https://twitter.com/Chronotope/status/1078003966863200256) on Facebook video metrics and traffic numbers, IAB numbers, App numbers, agency numbers, what is and isn’t trending, affiliate link referrals, the users, and how **everything is fake** , both blew my mind and made me openly weep. > > Its an entire industry made up of hot-air. The “pivot to video” trend of a few years ago that decimated newsrooms happened because of this. Recall the [apocryphal quote](https://www.mediavillage.com/article/which-half-of-my-advertising-is-wasted-and-it-is-only-half/): “I know half my advertising budget is wasted; the problem is, I don’t know which half.” Updated for the modern era that turns into: “I know 90% of my online advertising budget is lost to fraud. The problem is I don’t know which 90%.” Ain’t progress grand! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994/20 "2020-08-02T15:42:00Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Coaching. I has a sad. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industry-is-most-built-on-bluff-and-bull-feathers/916994.md?page=2)