Extra Charge
Every month, a man pays to avoid seeing something.
Yet on a trip, he paid extra to get a better view of it.
Why?
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Hints
Use as many hints as you need, one at a time.
Hint 1
Both in his everyday life and on his trip, he paid so he could enjoy something he liked.
Hint 2
Something that usually appears on a screen became part of the city scenery on his trip.
Hint 3
He paid the extra charge at a hotel. The reason has to do with the nighttime view from his room's window.
Check the Answer
Answer
The "something" was advertising.
In his everyday life, the man used a paid, ad-free plan so he could enjoy videos without being interrupted by ads.
On his trip, however, he was looking forward to the nighttime view of a bustling district lit up by giant electronic billboards, like those in Times Square. He paid extra for a hotel room with a good view of that scenery.
Advertising that usually got in the way of his enjoyment had become the very thing he wanted to enjoy.
Explanation
The value of advertising changes depending on where and how you see it.
Ads that play in the middle of videos interrupt the man's enjoyment. In a bustling district such as Times Square, however, the lights and colors of giant electronic billboards help create the city's dazzling nighttime scenery.
He wasn't interested in buying the advertised products. He wanted to admire the view.
Both the fee to avoid ads and the extra charge to see them were payments for spending time enjoying what he liked.
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