intentionally.

September 30, 2004

As a man of ridiculous ego (yes, still. It's a hard sucker to get rid of,) I have a tendency to want to take on the burden of "defending the faith." Because I've been blessed with a mind that wraps itself around the abstract fairly well, I delude myself into thinking that I am somehow equipped to take on anyone who challenges God.

But I can't. I don't have the power. I can sit in a coffee shop (as I did today) and discuss the topic with someone for hours on end, in hopes that through the process of reason and deduction we can arrive at the same conclusion. But reason doesn't mean much/anything when you're dealing with people. More importantly, reason doesn't mean much when you can't live up to your own beliefs.

Pick your starting premise. Objective truth. A world without God must mean there is no objective reality. Objective to whom? Do the "laws of nature" decide what is right and what is wrong? Does evolution tell us that lying to each other isn't the best thing to do? Why would I be required to subject myself to what "society" tells me I should do? The answer is I wouldn't.

Doubtful you'd get an argument there. Your conversation partner would likely agree - there are no objective truths, and we're to determine our own morality. But then you open up a history book and show them pictures of the Holocaust and ask them whether that was right or wrong. Or perhaps you hit them or steal their money or beat up their child, and ask them if that's right or wrong. If they are to live according to their beliefs, they must say no. And there's the rub. Suddenly the person does believe in objective truth in some sense. And we're back to where we started from - what determines objectivity? Who determines objectivity? Must be someone or something outside ourselves...

Logical? Sure. Makes sense. And so you continue on this track, probing and digging and asking and straining your mind to think about it. And every time you head down this path, your mind is left with one logical conclusion.

And then you leave and forget about it. Perhaps it's because the conclusion is dangerous or scary or requires something of you. Perhaps it's because your aunt or uncle or father or brother or son or daughter had something horrible happen to them, and the scar runs too deep. Perhaps it's because your life has been full of more bad than good and there's anger or hurt feelings.

Or perhaps you're like me, and it's simply inconvenient - perhaps it gets in the way of the rest of your life. You've pursued the deepest questions of your soul and found what you believe to be the answer - at least in principle. But it's still easier to believe in nothing, or believe in a God that is warm and fuzzy and very much like your grandfather who lives in North Dakota - a simple old man who lives far far away and just wants the best for you and everybody.

So we forget about it. We shove it underneath the door. We talk about how all roads lead to Heaven or how we're spiritual but not religious or how nothing it's all well and good to have a belief system as long as it doesn't impact any aspect of your life.

Particularly if you're a public figure. Even more particularly if you're running for office.

It's frustrating to watch so many people refuse to live what they believe. It's frustrating to listen to people who have the same ideas that their parents or college professors or favorite author or collective blob of the population thinks. It's frustrating to hear people spout the exact same banal ideology as everyone else, not knowing how or why it makes sense or what the conclusions are that must be drawn from said ideas.

If you don't believe in God, stop talking about what's right and wrong. Talk all you want about what idea or concept or policy would make your life better. Ayn Rand is right about that - in the absence of God, the only moral code that's left is your own self-interest. It's the only moral code there possibly could be.

But don't say a word about the plight of people in Africa or the evils of Sadaam Hussain or George Bush or Hitler. They aren't evil or good, not right or wrong - they are acting out of their own self-interests, according to their morality, and it is just as valid as your own. Ayn Rand is wrong about that - you can do anything you want including that which causes physical or mental or emotional harm to others. Why not? You're imposing your morality on them if you say otherwise. There is no objective truth outside of you. You can try to stop them, of course - by force if you choose - on the grounds that they conflict with your self-interests. But don't you dare appeal to some greater good, because such a thing does not exist.

If you are someone like me, you might be even worse. You sit and spout your dogma, and at the same time you sit outside of the conversation with mocking contempt. Who are you to say such things? Who are you to discuss these ideas and pretend like you actually believe them? Belief without obedience, without a life consistent with the belief, makes you a man divided against himself.

For either of you, perhaps the best policy is to stop talking about your ideology. Neither of you are ready for it - ready to live it out in your daily lives. And if you aren't ready to live it out in your daily lives, then your ideas and beliefs don't mean a damn thing.

The debates are tonight - I wonder if either of these men live their beliefs.

Somehow I doubt it.

September 29, 2004

The folks at Molson may have hit a home run with this one.

Called "twin label technology," bottles of Molson now feature what amount to pick-up lines on the back label. For folks frequenting the bar scene, or any frat guy who doesn't have enough "game" on his own to strike up a conversation with a woman, Molson has become their savior.

This is marketing at its best. I'm not a beer drinker, but as someone who likes to make a fool of himself in as many settings as possible I'm all for this. For many, the labels will become just as much a reason to buy the beer as the beer itself. I wouldn't be surprised if Molson's brand loyalty skyrockets among the social drinking scene.

It also passes my ultimate test - it's one of those things you wish you thought of yourself.

September 28, 2004

Tom Peters put together a PowerPoint today about three of his favorite new companies. Number one on that list was Cirque du Soleil.

It's hard to disagree with him. Apparently they spend 40% of their profits on R&D to ensure they remain the best in the business. They willingly give up the revenue that would surely come by doing dozens of shows, choosing instead to focus obsessively on one a year.

The result? According to Business 2.0, the company has never had a show flop in their 20-plus years in business.

Pretty remarkable stuff.

September 27, 2004

The Internet gives consumers more power than ever before - making the task of quality control even more important.

Consider this snippet - a hotel guest at the Howard Johnson in Bremerton, Washington was appalled by the state of disrepair at the establishment. So much so, he decided to take action.

What's even crazier is that the company has made absolutely no effort to respond to this man's complaints, even after repeated calls and a visit to the customer feedback section of the corporate website.

What must happen at a company in order for neglect like this to take place? How infected must the corporate culture become? How invaluable must the employees feel?

If you embrace a philosophy that the complete antithesis of premarketing, you'll likely still be talked about. But it won't be something to brag about.

September 25, 2004

"It's not enough to offer good value at a fair price. You have to offer an experience."

This comment isn't from Seth Godin or Jay Levinson. It's from Mark Thorsby - of the International Carwash Association. He's talking about the Rainforest Carwash in Lafayette, Indiana. According to the New York Times, the owner spent over $1.5 million to create a rainforest environment for his carwash. Fake monkeys, elephants, and replica Mayan ruins are all part of the experience.

Proof that even the most mundane of industries can be reinvigorated with the right mindset and a willingness to try something new.

September 22, 2004

IHOP opened a new store in Harlem, and within the location was ranked 14th out of over 1000 stores in terms of revenue.

The secret? Nothing earth-shattering - just a fantastic location. The restaurant is within walking distance of 100 churches in Harlem, a hospital, a YMCA, a police station and a high school.

Just proof that location can still represent a trump card in the world of business.