Any entity that relies on ads is an entity that deserves whatever it gets. I'd much rather pay for content than have to watch ads, but it's simply not an option in many cases. I don't feel even slightly badly about it, either, and I'm a content creator to boot.

Ads are a massively effective vector for all kinds of malware. And I primarily block them on those grounds alone--nevermind the graphical trashiness, completely inaccurate targeting, blaring audio, tacky or tasteless images, the constant, constant interruptions, or the general tracking--stalking, really--across everything I do, where these companies know more about my interests and shopping preferences than I am consciously aware.

I can't feel bad about any of it. Every time I'm on a PC that doesn't have adblocking, I am astounded at how noisy and polluted and stressful--and flat-out dangerous--the web has become. I hate that in the real world, and I certainly don't need it online.

The industries that rely on advertising have done all of this to themselves. People want free, but the biggest mistake, maybe, is giving it to them. Nevermind how completely, utterly non-free it is in terms of your time, sanity, convenience, etc etc. I don't need to see billboards for some item X, hear commercials for it on the radio, see ads for it in newspapers and magazines, and then still have to deal with ads for it online as well. I don't buy magazines anymore because the content/ad ratio has gotten ridiculous. I don't buy music anymore. I don't go to movie theaters unless I have to with my children. I don't buy DVDs/BR discs. Remember when you got cable and went to a movie theater to get AWAY from commercial-laden broadcast television? It's increasingly difficult to buy clothing that doesn't have the company's logo slapped all over everything. Let's pay $50 for a t-shirt, only to be a walking billboard? How has it come to this?

Over my entire lifetime, I've given more than enough of my eyes and ears and mental health to these companies. I now have the option to remove some of it from my life, simplifying and de-stressing my life dramatically, and I'm not ever going to hesitate taking it. I'm happy to support businesses by buying their product. That's the extent of the relationship I want to have with any and all of them.

EDIT: I don't consider ads a "necessary evil", btw. I consider it a lazy way of profiting from people who have been extensively conditioned to think this is the best and only way for them to get what they want. Evil, absolutely. Necessary, definitely not.