Billboard Tells People, "Life Is Short, Have an Affair"
Wednesday October 10, 2007
A controversial billboard in California tells people, "Life is Short, Have an Affair." The billboard advertises the site AshleyMadison.com.
More on the Billboard:
The Web site works like an Internet dating company, except the people who are visiting the site are in a relationship and want to connect with others to have an affair. The FAQs section says there are also single members who "wish to meet attached people for various reasons."
A group of protesters stood below the billboard in West Hollywood, wanting the company to take it down. They say the billboard promotes adultery and is immoral.
The group has had previous success at having controversial billboards taken down. However, Ashley Madison Agency founder Darren Morgenstern says the billboard will stay and told KABC Los Angeles that "people who are going to stray are going to do it anyway, no matter what, with or without us."
The home page of the Canadian-based company claims there are over 1,515,000 registered members. The Web site's tag line is "When Monogamy Meets Monotony."
What's your opinion? Should the billboard be taken down?
- See the Billboard: "Life Is Short, Have an Affair"
- Share Your Opinion: Should This Ad Be Banned?
More on the Billboard:
The Web site works like an Internet dating company, except the people who are visiting the site are in a relationship and want to connect with others to have an affair. The FAQs section says there are also single members who "wish to meet attached people for various reasons."
A group of protesters stood below the billboard in West Hollywood, wanting the company to take it down. They say the billboard promotes adultery and is immoral.
The group has had previous success at having controversial billboards taken down. However, Ashley Madison Agency founder Darren Morgenstern says the billboard will stay and told KABC Los Angeles that "people who are going to stray are going to do it anyway, no matter what, with or without us."
The home page of the Canadian-based company claims there are over 1,515,000 registered members. The Web site's tag line is "When Monogamy Meets Monotony."
What's your opinion? Should the billboard be taken down?
Comments
I think they still have a right to advertise even though it is totally immoral and condones, even encourages, infedelity. at least by knowing the site exists, we can see if our spouses are using it!
Well, whatever you guys advertise, it reflects and affects on you, on your city, on your husbands and wives, on your neighbors and on your country. So, why not dump it out. Move as one, recover your (neighbours`)immoralities.
Think about your children`s morality in the future…
Clearly this is inappropriate for a billboard. Children who desire to see their parents in a happy marriage will see this and feel threatened. Not only does it threaten the feeling of stability in the home, it is simply wrong on many levels. It should be considered soliciting much like a prostitute would.
the agency owner wisely defending himself by saying…if people want to do it, they will do it anyways, regardless of the billboard. What hes’ missing is that he’s actually encouraging people to get into the act. People will innocently open the website and its human psyche when one finds out there are so many people into it already, it kinda makes it appropriate.
It is unethical and only causes my son to ask “what’s an affair, mommy”. Not something a small child or teenager needs to see. It’s hard enough to explain the importance of a relationship without having a big sign saying it’s okay to cheat on your spouce. Nice example this company is.
I don’t personally agree with it, but they definitely have a right to say it. There’s nothing wrong with saying something of that nature. Some people don’t find it immoral, so it should just be let alone. People need to remember the whole freedom of speech deal we got going on. Yeah, it’s pretty nice. It allows me to say, quit your bitching and let the advertiser say what he wants.
No Meghan, there is something wrong with saying things like that. I’m not trying to attack you personally here but having a relativistic mindset like that doesn’t solve anything. Like other posters have said, having this type of advertises promotes acts that destroy relationships. What is the constructive function of an affair? Huh? Does it improve the family? Never. It causes emotional damage, economic damage, spiritual damage, and so on and so it. In fact it hurts more than just the parties because of the economics involved. I for one, do not want my tax-dollars going towards paying the legal system for all the things they do because of the divorce rate-which is strengthened by this junk.
Our first amendment right to post these opinions is the same amendment the Ashley Madison Agency and their 1,740,000 members are protected under. We can not simply dismiss their right to advertise no matter what we believe or don’t believe. If it were promoting some violent crime, that might be a different situation. Increase in taxes because of divorce Jacob? Could you expand on that please?
I don’t agree with the billboard and think it was done in bad taste. But they got exactly what they wanted by running it - they drew a lot of attention to themselves. It was definitely intentional.
Has anyone thought about our children and the furture generations? All this talk about whether someone has the “right” to advertise and so on… Have we really become that pathetically self-centred? Its a shame there are people in this world (AsheyMadison.com) that enjoy making our societies a living hell.