Some people believe that

Answer choices

1. A

   Wrong Objection2% picked this

   consumers would still want most of the things they want even if they

   Superficially, this doesn't look much like "they're wrong -- advertising ain't socially pernicious". The author is saying, "it's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, music and art classes do that and we don't consider them pernicious." This answer is saying, "It's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, it barely creates any new desires. We'd still want most of the same stuff even if there weren't ads."

   2%
2. B

   Opposite4% picked this

   the social perniciousness of advertising is not limited to its effect

   We want something that's like, "Therefore, they're wrong, advertising is not socially pernicious." This is saying, "advertising is socially pernicious for an additional reason."

   4%
3. C

   Correct88% picked this

   the fact that advertising changes consumers' preferences does not establish that

   Why this is right

   This is the author saying, "Therefore, these people are wrong. Since we tolerate preference-manipulation when it comes to music and art classes, telling me that advertising manipulates preferences does not by itself convince me that advertising is bad/pernicious." When authors are giving a flawed rebuttal (in the Assumption family), the conclusion often goes too far. The author will shoot down an argument for X, and then conclude that "X is false", which is the famous Unproven vs. Proven False flaw. But the responsible conclusion to draw at that point is, "So clearly this argument for X has failed / it's unwarranted to conclude X / this evidence is not sufficient to prove X". That's what this answer choice is doing.

   Skill tested: Most Supported · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   88%
4. D

   Too Strong2% picked this

   if advertising changes consumers' preferences, it generally does so in a

   Too Strong: generally Out of Scope: positive change The author never speaks to whether art/music classes or advertising changes preferences for the better or worse, and so we certainly can't jump to this big generalization that more than 50% of the time it's a positive change.

   2%
5. E

   Wrong Objection4% picked this

   it is not completely accurate to say that advertising changes

   Superficially, kinda feels like "they're wrong -- advertising ain't socially pernicious". But this is saying, "they're wrong -- advertising ain't changing people's preferences". That would be the author disagreeing with his opponent's premise, not their conclusion. The author is saying, "it's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, music and art classes do that and we don't consider them pernicious." This answer is saying, "advertising doesn't really changes our preferences".

   4%