And we clients are the stupid, weak, dependent ones who are not able to make an educated judgment? That doesn't give us a lot of credit, really...

Manipulation is everywhere, every time, every angle. The moment we switch on the TV we are manipulated, the moment we go on the internet we are manipulated, the moment we are writing in a forum like this we are manipulated. If we want, we can find it whichever way we look.

But the question is, how do we choose to live? Questioning every positive thing and get disillusioned by the world and it's sincerity?
Or believing that there is good out there, believing compliments when they are given and give ourselves enough credit to evaluate when someone is not completely sincere?

I chose the second one. If it's naive, so what?