Pop Culture at the Pump

It's official: I'll never buy anything at Circle K ever again.

I've had it. They're installing new gas pumps that are equipped with video monitors so you can--nay, have to--keep up with the latest trends in fashion, music, fake news, and who Katy Perry is boinking this week.

And, lest I forget, advertising.

I just want to pump my gas and GTFO. It's bad enough the stupid things ask me a hundred questions first:

Debit/Credit? Question hasn't mattered in 20 years. Fry's VIP Card? No. Carwash? No. How about a nice, refreshing Polar Pop? Go f# yourself. I'm late for work.

When is enough enough? At what point will people get tired of pop bulls# being literally force-fed to them 24/7?

I dunno, maybe some people (or lots of them), enjoy being reminded to breathe in the middle of their commute, but it makes me hyperventilate. Seriously. I don't need common sense health "tips" ("Hey, you might wanna breathe today, buddy!") while pumping gas!

But then again, I'm offended by most billboards; at the contempt the marketing industry has for human intelligence.

Sigh. At least you can turn the TV off. They leave me but little choice than to make a conscious effort to never drive onto their lot again. I refuse to expose myself (heh) to yet another layer of brainwashing.

Am I being too harsh? A bit snowfake-ish?

I don't care. F# Circle K.

And I've been trying to swear less.



/rant

a reply to: NthOther

all the pumps around here have it and i dont like it either.
they have it cranked loud as hell too.

its not just gas stations

walk into a mcdonalds and there are big screen tv's all over the place piping it in.

seems like so much more action than what i remember it being like 20 years ago.
its just like information barrage you know.

im just trying to get some #in gas. i dont need a mini flat screen pointed at me to ambush me with bull# while i try to get some dinosaur juice

a reply to: NthOther

It's capitalism and we don't need no crybaby commies telling us how to run our business. MAGA, MAGA, MAGA

a reply to: NthOther

The only Circle K around here is run by a cheap Indian guy that called the police on me for trying to do a gig there from gigwalkers. I just laughed at him and kept taking pictures. No monitors at the pumps though. I have seen them vandalized at other gas stations before though.

To OP...
Which is why I stiil go to a privately owned/run station (was Texaco, then Shell, now Conoco) that always sells Top Tier gasoline just as cheap as junk gas you get at Circle K, et al. Granted if you want to go inside and buy stuff (locally produced soft drinks, jellies, salsa, etc.) it has to be between 8-5. Pumps are 24 hours, no video sideshows. 8-5 also for mechanical work, inspections, etc. Oh, and one set of pumps is still full service only during their open business hours. Check out difference between Top Tier gasolines and those that are not at www.toptiergas.com. Interesting stuff, especially if you're like me and try and take the best care of your vehicles as possible.

seems like it is so convenient for us to spend money now.

not like it was hard before but it was never this easy either.

i can pay for the vending machines at work with an app on my phone. just seems strange to me.
spend spend spend

a reply to: Lab4Us

how long you been a rep for
toptiergas

had to edit my spelling cause im an idiot

and im just busting on you man

a reply to: olaru12

I'm not telling anyone how to run anything.

The other side of capitalism is that I have the right to take my business elsewhere when the proprietor is a douche.

Yeah. Let's help make Syr--I mean, America great again.



I know you're kidding but...

#TRIGGERED

a reply to: TinySickTears

I suppose part of it is our ADD culture, wherein people start bouncing off the walls if they don't have constant stimuli, but only part.

It's about saturating our everday life experience with commercialism. It's repugnant.

Anyway, as someone else pointed out, it's s# gas anyway. Probably doing me a favor.

a reply to: NthOther

Rant on, my friend. The constant barage of commercials and infotainment makes me ill.

The irony here is that I have less disposable income now than I did 10 years ago, so even if I wanted too, I couldn't buy all the stuff they try to sell me.

Joke's on you, Marketing!!

What i just read is poetry. Pure poetry....

Everyone want to be famous, no one wants to do the work. Who cares that were on the brink of war, look at these dumb asses doing dumbass stuff.
If you wanna see what the future looks like, watch the movie, 'The Idiocracy'. Everyones clothing is plastered wuth advertisements like a NASCAR driver times 10

Im with you 100%!!!
F@#& Circle K!!!

a reply to: NthOther

Pretty much all gas station pumps have this or will depending if they can afford it. Just hit random buttons on the pump because one of them is a mute button.

First world problems, amirite?

a reply to: Shamrock6

Not when our materialist culture projects its dominance onto the rest of the world to preserve its internal decadence.

a reply to: Swills

I'll make a f# mute button.

Point is, I shouldn't have to. And I don't. So they lose a customer.

a reply to: NthOther
But soon, citizens of Rojava and Iraq can also enjoy the privilege of peppy music selling them a rewards card for .03 off per gallon of gas and 1% cash back on all purchases elsewhere with a free big gulp upon sign-up! Don't you feel they deserve these freedoms!

a reply to: NthOther

Except that wasn't mentioned in your OP. All the OP was was whining about hearing and seeing ads while at a retail location. I'm pretty confident somebody from the Congo would marvel at the fact that even our gas pumps have TVs in them.

Like I said, first world problems.

a reply to: NthOther

Man I thought I was alone on that.

Other day I stopped for gas and god damn commercials are playing non stop, I mean jesus dude I am paying for the damn gas, but I have to watch/listen to your obnoxious crud?

NAY!

I just jump in truck as fast as possible and let it fill up

yeah the truck is on so what

Ill blow us all up if I keep having to deal w these stupid commercials at the pump.

In all honesty I try to avoid this damn spot now

a reply to: Shamrock6

or a 2,000+ calorie diet.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Sorry. I wasn't considering the geopolitical ramifications of media-infused gasoline until you mentioned it.