Daydreaming with Seth Godin – All Marketers Are Liars, part 7
The table of contents for the whole series is here.
This is the seventh part of daydreaming with discussions about Seth Godin‘s bestseller book “All marketers are liars”. Have a look at the previous part where we argue about Seth Godin, trust, lie and responsibility. And today we are talking about lying marketers and how it may provoke heading to the world Apocalypse.
Disclaimer: Everything written is this post is not true, or better to say, it is a story. Please believe it or not on your own risk.
Take these secrets
Me: I love how Seth Godin underlines some really important and useful marketing tactics. For example, he says that great stories don’t contradict themselves.
Raah: What does it mean?
Me: You can find some examples in his book. I will make my own example. For instance, if you say you are honest, you will not want to lie.
Raah: Or better to say you will not want to be caught.
Me: Haha, you speak in Seth Godin’s style.
Raah: Ok, I got it. What else does Seth say about what great stories should be like?
Me: He says that they better agree with our worldview.
Raah: You mean they should follow people’s beliefs.
Me: Sort of. Seth says that great stories don’t teach people anything new but just deliver what people already believe. People just need support in their feeling to feel secure.
Raah: I’m surprised you say it in such a calm voice. Is there anything that strikes you?
Me: Well, I’d say no. But I would say that marketers are not just following peoples needs, desires and beliefs. Marketers are also those who made up the needs for people, making them want to consume.
Raah: How does Seth Godin expand on it?
Me: In a very interesting way. He says that marketers are not liars, only consumers are liars. Consumers lie to themselves, so marketers just need to catch a chance to make money on it.
Raah: Well, it makes sense.
Me: Look, it just confirms my view that Seth proclaims irresponsible behavior that we discussed last time. Seth is playing a baby here as if he is saying “it was not me, it was him!” and points to a consumer.
Raah: But it is true that marketers just please consumers giving them stories that people demand from them.
Me: Such marketers just fit into the system of consumerism, they don’t think big, they just earn some money and don’t want to hear that it is bad.
Raah: You again accuse marketers and Seth Godin of not having a good divine mission of making the world better. You should not demand it from each and every person. Not everyone wants to be a prophet or world savor. Just let people make some money and make other a bit happier even if it is done through consumerism. Why do you think it is wrong?
Me: I think it is wrong because if you don’t think big then someone else thinks big for you and uses you.
Raah: So who is using marketers and consumers then?
Me: I would not want to go into conspiracy here. But will say that this is how contemporary world works now. People focus on making money, enjoy consuming and avoid think on a large scale.
Raah: And why is it bad?
Me: I would say it would not be bad if only this model of consumerism is alive and kicking. But it is in the air that consumerism is not going to be the model for the whole world in a long term. So instead of hiding deeper and deeper in lying each other and self-deception, people need to come out to consciousness, even if it is hard and painful.
Raah: Do you mean people need to focus on truth rather than on stories to save the world from consumerism Apocalypse?
Me: I ignore your sarcasm about apocalypse. But ideally yes, people need to think and educate themselves on other things rather than simply making money. At least, I think, people need to realize that their priorities now are not stories that they want to consume, but the truth even if it is a bitter truth.
Raah: Why do you think people need to do so?
Me: Because otherwise people will be either manipulated and cruelly used by those who can think big, or even worse – people will be absolutely not prepared for the changes that may come one day.
Raah: What changes?
Me: When consumerism model turns into something different.
Raah: I see. But I, like many other people, prefer to focus on one thing and go for it. Perhaps if I want be successful and rich, I should just work on it. If I am an economist or a philosopher, I will think about the better model for the world. So why do you mix it and why do you want others to be concerned about it too?
Me: Because it may be a vital part if you miss the ground under your feet one day and loose everything once you ignore the wind of change.
Raah: Hm, I guess I should think about it.
Me: Yes, take your time. And to call it a day, here is a list of what Seth Godin shares with us:
– Great stories don’t contradict themselves
– Great stories don’t teach people anything new but just deliver what people already believe
– Marketers are not liars, consumers are liars – they lie to themselves every day
…to be continued. In the next discussion we will continue speaking about Seth Godin’s marketing ideas and will touch lying and marketers’ mental health.
Please feel free to say in the comments what you think. For example, do you know or can imagine a story that contradict themselves?
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