30 Infuriating Pictures Of Late-Stage Capitalism That Feel Like A Glitch In Society
I remember when buying something meant you owned it. Apparently that was an introductory offer.
Now your car needs a subscription, and the refrigerator you already paid for would like to show you an ad. Even going to the bathroom nowadays isn’t safe because somebody looked at the mirror above the sink and thought it’d be a great place to shove an advertisement.
These infuriating pictures capture companies finding increasingly creative ways to squeeze a few more dollars out of people. There are basic features trapped behind paywalls, AI being shoved into places nobody asked for it, and advertisements appearing during the few remaining seconds of the day when you weren’t already looking at one.
At this rate, blinking is going to remain free for six months before the trial expires. Late-stage capitalism at its finest.
1. Coca Cola has replaced artists with AI. They couldn’t even get their logo right.
2. It doesn’t get much more dystopian than this. Actual anti-human advertising in favor of AI.
3. My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription.
The app used to send push notifications when the baby woke up. Now I have to pay $10 per month for that privilege.
4. We can’t even pump fuel anymore without holding a digital billboard (Netherlands)
5. Nothing says late stage capitalism like branded potholes
6. A monthly subscription and an app is required for filtered water.
7. New GE double oven required WiFi *and* app subscription to use the air fry mode (bake / broil not affected).
8. Advanced Video Technology – Ads while you wash your hands
9. Snapchat Ad
10. Plastering ads on a giant Christmas tree at a Christmas market
11. Ads have replaced mirrors at the local mall
12. Why is there an advertisement on my banana?
13. Replaced my Honda with a new one after an accident They moved the garage door opener from a button on the mirror to a paywall subscription service.
14. Apparently my samsung fridge has ads now…
15. Roomba is bricked without a subscription
16. My first time peeing with ads
17. Brand new Toyota requires a subscription…
18. This Ad blocker that gives you ads
19. My fortune cookie had an ad in it.
20. Why plenty word when AI make simpol
21. Gym added mobile access instead of card, then slapped a $2/month SUBSCRIPTION on it. To open a gate.
Ridicilous. No hardware was even changed, Same gate as always. And their competitor provides mobile entry for free. Its a big chain gym which costs 840$ per year or 100$ monthly if you dont sign up for a year and yet such a simple feature is not included…
22. I got a free printer from somebody moving, turns out the ink in it can’t be used without a subscription
23. Pretty much every program on $2000 rowing machine requires a $30/month subscription to access
If I want to do anything other than the bare basic Quick Start workout on this not-cheap piece of equipment, I need to pay the company every month ($350/year, which is not pocket change to me). This picture was my trying to do the Rowing 101 5-minute quick start workout. If that isn’t something that should be available automagically when the thing is first turned on, what is?
24. Snapchat’s new storage policy
Snapchat has a new free storage cap of 5GB. Apparently I have 52.8GB saved since 2013, and I’ll lose them unless I get a storage subscription.
25. My Mazda I’ve owned for 3 years now charges me monthly to remote start it.
26. Jeep puts an ad covering my entire screen, and it comes back every time you stop even if you hit ok.
27. From An NYC Subway Ad: “Don’t worry, most people here can’t afford the high cost of living LOLZ”
28. There is a freaking ad in the mirror
29. Completely covering your ONLY menu with ADS
Was at a Walmart subway trying to order & they would legit cover their entire menu with promos. Even when the whole thing wasn’t covered I would be looking at the new “Fresh Fit” offerings & they run an AD RIGHT OVER those sandwiches (pic 2-3) Made ordering WAY more annoying than it should be
30. I’m not paying a subscription to watch DVDs on my PC.
