Television commercials used to employ this rather snarky trick. (No doubt they still do, but I eschew commercial-based television so I don’t really know. I’d rather chew off my own leg and/or mate with Miley Cyrus.)

The trick worked like this:

You’d turn on the TV and select a show. You’d adjust the volume to a reasonable and comfortable level for watching the show.

Then, a commercial would come on and the windows would get blown out of your house. Shellshocked, with blood leaking from your ears due to the burst eardrums, you’d scrabble in vain for the remote control and fail. But it didn’t matter because it was already too late.

Like always, advertising is a subtle business with a deft touch.
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