I was attending some sales and marketing motivational training this week learning about the human brain, how decisions are made, what parts of the brain do what and how to use that understanding to change peoples minds - sort of what I do here at the KOTCB blog. I was with a team of experienced professionals and we drew pictures, made lists, asked and answered questions, presented concepts to each other and our "trainer" having a pretty good time in the process. When you delve into the science (both hard and soft) of personality type, behavior modification, selling technique and marketing analytics using big data you realize the average joe doesn't stand a chance. These ad agencies and sales organizations are going for the gut, pulling at the heart strings and stimulating the "lizard brain" at every opportunity. With all the formulaic "proven" approaches to mind manipulation bombarding the collective American psyche is it any wonder that significant numbers of the nations people are insane?
One of the examples we saw of effective selling was this touching Chevy commercial of "the old man" getting his car back after 20+ years - not a dry eye in the room. What a great car!
One of the examples we saw of effective selling was this touching Chevy commercial of "the old man" getting his car back after 20+ years - not a dry eye in the room. What a great car!
Somehow I don't think my boys will track down our Chevy Volt in 20 years and I certainly won't break down in tears when it hums back to my curb - though I might have a near heart attack.
If you've never read this blog before it might not be obvious that I'm joking - of course I don't own a Chevy Volt (as far as I know no one does) and I would hand it back if someone gave me one, but I'm just making the point that today's cars don't stack up to those produced 40 years ago. They will leave the modern father and son with dismal memories of the transition to electrified non-nondescript plastic/aluminum transport pods whirring past surveillance cameras that mail you speeding tickets.
However, one must entertain the possibility that the future will actually be worse.
Hurling down the highway at 120 mph in a steel coffin controlled by the General Motors AI housed in Detroit, MI. Everyone in the car watching their smart phone or sleeping or whatever. No worries, no memories - just hand me a THC cookie and poor me a Starbucks while I watch the clouds float above me and listen to some Queen through my headphones. Shit, I don't even own this car - I use Uber. A one way ride and I only pay for the privilege of transportation - I'll not remember it when I'm 60 - I probably wont remember it next week. According to brain science we remember the moments that are punctuated with some sense of stress but how many of those will we have in the future?
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| The 2015 Chevy Volt |
However, one must entertain the possibility that the future will actually be worse.
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| The 2025 Chevy Volt |
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