--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I gave someone a perverse argument not so…" description: "\"I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about why advertising is better than movies. You want to hear it? Movies operate from a really disin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/errol-morris-2512_advertising_i-gave-someone-a-perverse-argument-not-s_1624617.jpg" --- # I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about… ![“I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about why advertising is better than movies. You want to hear it? Movies operate from a really disingenuous premise, that people are heroes. I know a lot of people and have had an opportunity over the years to observe them. Are they heroes...?…” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/errol-morris-2512_advertising_i-gave-someone-a-perverse-argument-not-s_1624617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/errol-morris-2512_advertising_i-gave-someone-a-perverse-argument-not-s_1624617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f4/errol-morris-2512_advertising_i-gave-someone-a-perverse-argument-not-s_1624617.jpg) > “I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about why advertising is better than movies. You want to hear it? Movies operate from a really disingenuous premise, that people are heroes. I know a lot of people and have had an opportunity over the years to observe them. Are they heroes...? Let's put it this way. Advertising tries something simpler and more believable: Products as heroes. I guess the idea is: When all else fails, put your faith in conditioner.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advertising frames products as heroes, a simpler, more believable narrative than the heroic myth of movies. **In simple terms:** Ads use relatable heroes (products) instead of lofty movie heroes. Key Takeaway Recognize how marketing shapes perception. Themes media advertising storytelling Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - product launches - brand campaigns - media analysis Key Concepts hero archetype consumer psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we prefer simple heroes? - How does this affect our view of art? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on product heroism can oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Advertising Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising-better-318532/) [Advertising Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising-tries-318533/) [Ago Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ago-advertising-318534/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Believable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believable/) [Disingenuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disingenuous/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Premises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premises/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Products Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products-heroes-318535/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [When all else fails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/when-all-else-fails/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes, the advertising is better than the product. Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising. Everyone tries the thing and never buys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-della-femina/sometimes-the-advertising-is-better-than-the-product-nothing-kills-a/) [Jerry Della Femina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-della-femina/) > [There is a great deal of advertising that is much better than the product. When that happens, all that the good advertising will do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-della-femina/there-is-a-great-deal-of-advertising-that-is-much-better-than-the/) [Jerry Della Femina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-della-femina/) > [The most common trouble with advertising is that it tries too hard to impress people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randolph-adams/the-most-common-trouble-with-advertising-is-that-it-tries-too-hard-to/) [James Randolph Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randolph-adams/) > [Advertising tries to stimulate our sensuous desires, converting luxuries into necessities, but it only intensifies man's inner misery. The business world is bent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/advertising-tries-to-stimulate-our-sensuous-desires-converting/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [You think education is something to be done when all else fails?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white-2/you-think-education-is-something-to-be-done-when-all-else-fails/) [T. H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white-2/) > [When all else fails, start running!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karnazes/when-all-else-fails-start-running/) [Dean Karnazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karnazes/) > [If all else fails immortality can always be assured by adequate error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/if-all-else-fails-immortality-can-always-be-assured-by-adequate-error/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [When all else fails, put on a costume and sing a silly song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/when-all-else-fails-put-on-a-costume-and-sing-a-silly-song/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I like a tranquil, even-keeled, self-controlled God. A God who doesn't fly off the handle at the least provocation. A God who lives one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-galli/i-like-a-tranquil-even-keeled-self-controlled-god-a-god-who-doesn-t/) [Mark Galli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-galli/) > [When all else fails, and to stand firm seems impossible, stand on the wood of the Cross; it will float with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-leszczynska/when-all-else-fails-and-to-stand-firm-seems-impossible-stand-on-the/) [Marie Leszczynska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-leszczynska/) > [Prayer succeeds when all else fails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/prayer-succeeds-when-all-else-fails/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [When all else fails...be a rockstar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/when-all-else-fails-be-a-rockstar/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [I like what Abba Eban once said during the 1967 war. He said, "When all else fails, men turn to reason."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/i-like-what-abba-eban-once-said-during-the-1967-war-he-said-when-all/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [“When all else fails, go away completely, however long feels necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/when-all-else-fails-go-away-completely-however-long-feels-necessary/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [When all else fails, tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-t-regan/when-all-else-fails-tell-the-truth/) [Donald T. Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-t-regan/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/simply-coming-to-the-perpetrator-and-delivering-the-message-is-nozick/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-proper-route-to-an-understanding-of-the-world-is-an-examination/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The chance that any given sentence is a lie, rather than a truth, I think, is fairly great. An intentional lie, a self-deception, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-chance-that-any-given-sentence-is-a-lie-rather-than-a-truth-i/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [ Maybe \[killers\] is one of my real passions. Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about why advertising is better than movies. You want to hear it? Movies operate from a really disingenuous premise, that people are heroes. 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