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Comment by Cody_C | Hacker News Reader

Anytime I hear about outdoor advertising I think of a quote I saw in the book Civilized to Death.

A long time ago man saw Times Square and sat in silence. A few people asked him what he thought. He said this would be beautiful if I couldn't read.

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Ha I was just thinking a similar thing. I'm much more immune to adverts in a foreign country especially if they use a different alphabet all together.

I'm not quite sure I'd consider it beautiful, but it's mildly freeing nonetheless.

This is a big part of why people go gaga over the neon in Tokyo. It's less sexy when you can actually read all the MEIJI LIFE INSURANCE, ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ, YODOBASHI CAMERA, [prostitution] INFORMATION CENTER ads it's composed of.

The Times square was the first place I visited in the US, Imagine a bright TV on four walls in a room playing unskippable YouTube ads. That was my feeling, I have no idea why people go crazy about watching ads. To each their own.

The novelty of Times Square wears off real fast. I work in NYC and everybody I know avoids the area if at all possible. I think even tourists realize how disgusting it is. It's an attack on the senses, a pure monument to capitalism.

In a messed up way I almost think of Times Square as a piece of art representing capitalism. It's one of the few places on earth where the ads are part of the architecture, that is Times Square wouldn't be what it is without those massive ads. It's also just such a hilarious tourist trap because it carries pretty much all the hallmarks of a "tourist trap".

Fun to go there once for the novelty and to see the ridiculousness, but like other commenters have said, wouldn't go back there again.

I went there as a kid from France and it was magical. Remember going to the Coca Cola store and buying a bunch of merch.

There is something special about it. I remember seeing it for the first time and it seemed like a movie set because I had watched so many scenes in so many films that were shot there but, never actually laid eyes on it.

How was that book? Looks interesting.

I really liked quite a bit of it. There are some points I wasn't too sure of however, it gives a great counterpoint to the endless conveniences that modern society provides.

I would recommend it, I still run I to thi is that I end up thinking back to the book.

I believe everything people enjoy goes back to something primal. It also shows how far we have come from what we use to live like, both good and bad.

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