Does Advertising Pervert Higher Education? Is There a Case for Resistance?

<title>ABSTRACT</title> My argument is that when marketing--particularly advertising--may, under certain circumstances, work against the goals of autonomous, liberal higher education by undermining critical thinking and independent actions. This argument requires that advertising has a primary intent to persuade rather than inform; that by being intrusive, invasive and manipulative it is potentially exploitative and that this exploitation can harm the goal of an education for a common good. Should it do this then it becomes morally problematic.