Does everybody dislike junk mail or do some just play lip service to hating it? 

One thing for certain, we do all genuinely detest those telephone calls, usually after about 6.30pm, when somebody tries to persuade us that we cannot live without the latest in lines in double glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, etc etc.
You do not have to suffer these.  Just register with the Mailing Preference Service and the Telephone Preference Service.  I can tell you from my own experience that it does work.  In short, it puts a stop on unsolicited promotional post and telephone calls. It may not work 100% but, with the telephone, at least you can get some fun out of it.  Simply play along with them for a few seconds, ask who is calling and what their number is, and then, with great delight, announce that you are registered with the Telephone Preference Service.  The silence this usually generates on the other end of the line is deafening.  It is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive them.  The same applies to unsolicited mail.  In fact, it is even possible to register fax numbers.

The simplest way to register is by telephone:
Mailing Preference Service: 0845 7034599
Telephone Preference Service: 0845 0700707
Facsimile Preference Service: 0845 0700702

It is also, of course, a way of protecting the elderly from what may be confusing and disturbing mail and calls.