The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

I’d love to introduce the world to Ann. Because Ann is a pretty decent person. We got to know each other quite well in the last couple of weeks and the biggest lesson is that she’s a person first. So my bad on that one. But I may find a way to give her a voice if she needs one.

I’d like that.

Also with regard to the link above I’m not sure if it’s for real but either way opening up a bit of dialogue on the subject can only be a good thing.

You think I’ll bite at that Bazza?

Too right I will … I hate how people say ‘Google has made the World lazy’, they haven’t, people have made the World lazy because at no point has Google said they are the ‘owners of truth’, they simply are about the organisation of information – information that may be right or wrong – and if you want to be sure of what you’re saying, you should get off your arse and look into it rather than tip tap on a keyboard and think the answers to life are there to be delivered in a nano-second.

To prove my point, I typed in “how can i be obscenely rich and famous?” and what I got back wasn’t the sort of thing I’d happily jack in my job for … well, not till I got to page 11 of the search responses 🙂

I’m not trying to be deep … jeez, this is me you’re talking to.

I’m just saying there is a proportion of society who happily accept things on face value because it is easier/more convienient for them, when a bit of further investigation or discoverery would result in them realising what they thought was right wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

The problem with people who happilly accept what they’re told is that it [sometimes] results in them choosing the wrong path simply because they’ve followed the perception of truth rather than the reality of it.

Think pretty much the findings of every bloody focus group you’ve ever sat in …

We’re all a bit asleep aren’t we when it comes to thinking we’re smart. I mean the influential person I’ve ever read is Nicolas Taleb and yet 1) He doesn’t know that he comes across as a complete pompous and arrogant tosser 2) He’s forgotten his own major premise and become a pontificating fool talking about the future on any media show he gets to pick. But I still think he’s the most important thinker since Descartes.

Anyway… Deep…

Yogi berra is deep. They do philosophy courses on him I read/listened once.

If you come to a fork in the road. Take it.

The future aint what it used to be.

It isn’t over till it’s over.

Anyway, it’s still a big thought you put down, and I only read it properly i.e. five or six times, because I thought maybe I’m missing something, but in any case the point is that I know you frame your thinking in down to earth analogies (Wunderbra, Football, TV, Celebs etc) and yet that stuff is harder than the occasional big word or so for me. Which I’m not pleased about because I’ve let my snootiness get in the way and I realise it can only impair my work (when I work).

Change the subject quickly… Focus groups. I had a rant about why focus group methodology is just plain stupid in Asia. Be good if you have any additional thoughts Rob, because research is one area that would kinda turn me on in Asia if I could find a gang that were looking for a better way. There is definitely a better way isn’t there?

http://tinyurl.com/dx4zb3

You’ve done some interesting things like the criminologist approach you mentioned before but there’s loads of room for shaking up the whole industry.

One more from quite some time back in case any research people lurking on this blog want to pile in and explain quite why the industry doesn’t come clean and destroy a few myths that they say privately to each other day in and day out.

http://tinyurl.com/dyshvn

who says perception is reality? those from the enlightenment? the reason that advertising is allowed to exist at all is because, as a society, we have openly relinquished our desire for true reality, and like a little of both in our diet. perception couched in authenticity.

and that site is great – reminded me of jen and jeffre’s presentation about their erotic art films. two gems of insight: “pubic hair? decide.” and “always have a hot lunch when filming porn”.

1) Charles – Snakes on a Plane had a traditional marketing budget in excess of $20 million. And taleb just reframed basic probability that all statisticians knew. Not a great thinker – just someone who showed up mass ignorance.

2) “They” might say all sorts of things, but your revelation of your relationship to breasts says more than anything can – there was clear some incident with funfair ballons in ouberty that has scarred you greatly. Perhaps BTTB (or whatever her acronym was) can shed some light on this.

3) I’ve been in contact with Mr. Pedantic and he wanted me to pass on his gratitude for the messages of concern and support expressed here and elsewhere.

What the fuck do you mean the Teletubbies aren’t real????

John: nice to have you back. You tell Mr Pedantic we’re all looking out for him!

I like this – real debate – and for once I’m going to sit on the fence and watch because I have the faith no one will get silly and nasty unlike a certain company who are acting like I’ve declared war just because of something I wrote based on something they did. 🙂

Don’t you start Doddsy. I would give a staunch defense of Taleb for reframing the way we see the world but I guess you’ve made your mind up.

…Even though you say he was merely right and the rest of the world was wrong which I think is high five material.

Erm Rob.. I don’t believe you for one nano job. While putting things simply is probably second nature to you (and not easy), I don’t think there’s anything Faris has written that you couldn’t paraphrase and I do happen to have read through your exhaustive list of marketing books you’ve consumed along the way, and they’re not all Nott’s Forest Supporters Guides to “Selling well without selling out” Which is easily the single most important question any person is confronted by in their working life.

And John. Get me the hard facts for the 10 million US$ used for marketing on SoaP movie, and I’ll blow you next time I’m in London which might be shortly.

No way they spent 10 on that. You’re being a drama queen again.

P.S. I will have to decline your offer Charles. In this case, being right is sufficiently gratifying for me.

So you’re saying pedantry is good?

Wish I could dig out a piece I wrote about models some years back. You’d like it I think. Look feel sorry for models. They’re invariably only blessed with the looks, and have a distorted view of life because people treat them differently so it’s pretty difficult to to be ‘well adjusted’ if the world is not real.

But there are always exceptions. Stoush? I had to look it up. Thought it was some kind of shaving technique!

John. I’ve emailed Main Line films who did the marketing for SoaP because that NYT piece is well puffed up.

Although now I think some more. As they knew it was going to tank and didn’t give the press a pre-show. Maybe they lost their nerve and went for the hype box office takings. Always a risky move.

oops – sorry charles. aussie slang.. and in typical australian arrogance, assumed that everyone uses it.

and andy dear, don’t whine – it doesn’t suit you. 😉

let’s all start telling the fucking truth.

who the fuck pays attention to what campbell says. its all the other fuckers comments that scared me because they are people i thought were on my fucking side.

on ahabs point. i need to get pissed. happy?