Do they see you as a huckster? aka: Be careful what you glorify...

Lately I'm seeing things with new eyes.

It all began when I started seeing the world through the eyes of others.

I've been doing that so long, I've 'adopted' their eyes, and now their eyes ARE my eyes.

The result: I won't mention any names, but when I watch certain marketing 'gurus,' I now blink my eyes and say, 'Hey wait a minute, these guys are HUCKSTERS!'

The people I formerly glorified, are hucksters.

Not slick.

Not clever.

Not to be emulated.

Just common hucksters.

I think many of the people I'VE been glorifying, ARE hucksters after all!!!

They are NOT trying to help.

They ARE just trying to line their own pockets.

They DON'T really know what they're talking about.

To make matters worse, hanging around in an environment of hucksters can rub off on you. It can cause you to blur the line between non-huckster + huckster -- and lead you into crossing the line without realizing it.

__________________________________________________ ____

NEWS FLASH: The 'real' world assumes ALL 'marketing people' are hucksters!!!
__________________________________________________ ____


On the other hand, people who ARE marketing types know that's not true.


----- But what if it almost IS true?


What if many of the people you've been glorifying ARE hucksters???

So --- what's the purpose of this post?

Welp -- it's 3 purposes really (even though a teacher cannot appear until the student is ready).

1) To encourage you to open your eyes too, CLEARLY see who's a huckster + who isn't, and to STOP glorifying hucksters.

2) To warn you against becoming a huckster yourself (or, if you've already become one, to encourage you to return to the 'good' side).

3) To warn you that others may ALREADY see you as being a huckster -- and they may be right!

-- TW

PS: Another purpose of this post is to see what all of you think about this topic. It's a subject that reaches to the very foundation of what we do -- and it's been bugging me a lot recently. It gets in the way of really helping people. An unseen force that must be dealt with somehow.

I agree with you, TW. Too many folks on the internet are nothing more than glorified hucksters. No matter the 'deals' they offer, no matter the 'reasons you should...' the bottom line is transferring my money to their pocket.

There ARE good people out there with some altruistic motives but they're fewer in number than they used to be, I believe. Maybe it's just my perception but I think this 'shrinking of caring' attitude is partly why folks like me become jaded and fed up with the internet a lot of times. You can only be pushed so far, disappointed so many times, before one looks elsewhere for the good life. Been there, done that.

That's not to say that I will necessarily give up on the internet but it sure has changed my view of it and the ways in which I am willing to particpate. Perhaps that is the angle that needs exploring: just what are the consequences of too much hucksterism? Then, how do we caring, responsible, folks differentiate ourselves from the hucksters?

Interesting topic, potentially. Let's see what others have to say.

Sandi Bowman

If I've read this right, TW and Sandi are both saying that:

Hucksters are bad, and altruists are good.

I don't think that concept is even close to being true.

In fact, show me anyone who makes the claim "I'm doing this strictly for others...", and I'll show you a lying huckster.

Not quite, Bozo. There's a happy medium ground called 'enlightened self-interest' in which one conducts business but does it with an eye to not harming others in the process.

An example might be that, if you know (or strongly suspect) that someone can't really afford a software (or has something already that will do the job) and you try to convince them that they can't live without your version, you are then doing them a DISservice and putting your wants ahead of their needs. An enlightened self-interest would say that 'this is something I think you'd be happy with but you can get along with what you already have until later'. The hope being that they'll appreciate your concern and, when the time is right for them, seek out you and your product.

Sandi Bowman

Maybe the process is a little like the political arena.

Generally, people get into it for the right reasons, but it quickly falls down and becomes the wrong reasons.

Or like the cycle of domestic violence -- where, sadly, the victim becomes a victimizer.

It's like this...

Go to the bank.

Go to the bank.

Go to the bank.

Go to the bank.

Go to the bank.

Then a (black) light bulb goes off somewhere in the brain that says...

"Hey wait a minute, maybe I can ROB the bank!"

THAT'S when the line gets crossed.

It's cranial corruption.

I think it happens a lot. The goal needs to be: Stay away from hucksters, and don't succumb to the invisible 'tug' to cross the huckster line yourself!!!

-- TW

PS: It's not just internet marketing people I'm talking about. It's any marketing person (on or off line) who's selling something or some service.

PPS: Again, without mentioning any names, in th elast few days I've seen videos from two 'gurus' in particular who the general public would IMMEDIATELY peg (CORRECTLY!) as being hucksters. But we, INSIDE the niche -- in our delusional STUPOR -- don't SEE/PERCEIVE the hucksterism. One huckster has cloaked himself as some kind of middle-aged surfer dude type. The other is LYING to the camera (in my opinion), saying, "I'll give you a $375 discount because the copies I selling at this low price are 'SCUFFED UP, DAMAGED copies (etc.). -- A ruse so old, it's pathetic. He's just desperately trying to unload the last 9 copies of his 'course.' The real world would immediately SEE that he's just some aging huckster who needs some extra cash -- right away.

Sandi,

Thanks for towing the altruism / brother's keeper line.

Doesn't work. Nor should it be the path taken.

The simple Fact of the matter is this...

If YOU (generic You meaning, whomever it applies to) want to Do Good - to Practice Altruism; to Save The Children or whatever your cause is - then YOu go do it. On your own. Without trying to lay guilt trips onto people to have them join Your Quest.

Example Only: If you want to treat animals hurt in car incidents, go do so. Off your own bat using your own funds. Do NOT petition the local govt to pass laws to slow cars down, erect signs, put in traffic slowing devices, give money to some Sanctuary you need built and so on and so forth. Because Now you are, in essence, stealing money from others for your Good Works - having the govt do the stealing on your behalf.

Do Not propose to know what's Best for someone. You are Not their keeper.

If you go down that line like in your example, there is no stopping. So, you deem it best for them Not to buy your software. Will you also deem it best for them not to buy that six pack of beer - and then push to have laws passed according to how YOU deem things to be Best for people. Where do you stop?

Now your use of the word "Enlightened" is to paint a picture that, anyone who thinks otherwise is thus not Enlightened. And that kind of Play is a trick. A Manipulation and I call it out for the ruse it is and expose it for its trickery.

No different that other Word Tricks such as... it's naive to think... the implication being, if I think a thing I am naive; and as we don't like to think of ourselves as naive, we would thus succumb to the trick.

As Bozo said, those who preach they are "doing for others" are lying hucksters. Looking for a Good Guy Badge.

Michael Ross

Michael, no matter how you try to twist the words to suit yourself, the truth is that people can, and do, sacrifice when necessary for others...and sometimes even when it isn't necessary. Has nothing to do with distorted thinking that you choose to define altruism as.

I don't have time for this B.S. right now as I have guests coming for an extended stay and have enough work to keep ten people busy. Just say that I totally disagree with you and will until the day I die.

Sandi Bowman

Sandi,

Thanks for commenting further.

"the truth is that people can, and do, sacrifice when necessary for others...and sometimes even when it isn't necessary"

I agree, Sandi. People do - at times - do things for others without needing a Reward. But the key is... at times.

I'm sitting in a diner looking out the window. There's an old guy on one of those three wheeled electric buggy things. Sitting calmly. Then suddenly, he has gripped the control and started to reverse Fast. His face has a look of shock as he doesn't know what's going on. Because the wheel is turned, he is reversing backward in an arch. He is almost side on to the gutter now. His back wheel slips off and the whole machine tumbles down spilling him onto the asphalt.

People come running to help. They Selflessly help him. They sacrifice their time - and further appointments - to help him. And do so without thought of reward or good guy badge. They just saw someone who needed a hand and gave it.

These moments enter our lives continuously. And we enter people's lives, lend a hand, and leave, also continuously. All of us, in our own ways.

But that doesn't make us Altruistic.

Now. As per usual Sandi, you make a bunch of rebuttals - as fact - and an excuse about why you cannot continue the discussion.

"Distorted thinking I choose to define as altruism".

See. Said matter o' factly without backup. And none likely to come as "you have guests".

Now, if you look up the meaning of the word Altruism you'll see I have distorted nothing. Altruism Is the acting for the benefit of others. And it is you that simply claim I have distorted it - again, without backing up your claim and showing How I have done this.

Unbacked Up Claims. Another Trick I often see used. Usually in politics though. Any by those in Minority Groups and other Affinity Groups - be they based on race or sex or animals or environment or other.

Sandi, I know you disagree with me. And I with you. The difference is, though, throughout all our disagreements through the years I have backed up what I say. While you have Always made an excuse/reason not to continue. Not to back up what you say. When asked to do so.

Michael Ross
III

Wow - I'm a little surprised by a couple of the comments. Is that really the mentality of the business world today? Extract what you can from who you can, regardless of consequences. I hope not! I wouldn't say it's about altruism - of course we are all trying to make money - and we need to get it from somewhere ... from someone. But where is the line between making a buck and plain old human decency? I see someone who wants to do a post card mailing ... a struggling new start up - am I going to try and shove 10,000 pieces down their throat when I know they won't use that many in a lifetime? Of course not, I'm going to give them what they need. Sure, I'll make suggestions on how they can enhance the product - even if it costs more. But only if and when I think there's a benefit to them. I like to believe that there are still tons of business people out there who understand the principles of value and customer service. Upselling someone to something that is completely useless, only to make an extra buck - that's not a value, nor is it good customer service. It's the kind of thing that creates a bad reputation for the person and/or the industry he represents. Two examples ... door to door vacuum sellers. I don't know if they exist anymore, but they notoriously sold an overpriced item using high pressure tactics. They became synonomous with rip off and as a result carried a horrible reputation. (Used car salesmen too?) More recently - the (so called) housing crisis. Many of the fingers have been pointed at unscrupulous mortgage providers. People are losing their homes ... and why? Because someone didn't explain all the pitfalls of a program. They pushed clients into something risky and unstable, not caring one whit about what happens after the sale. Well kudos to them! Many of them are probably out of work because of this attitude and the entire economy has taken a huge hit too. All because someone cared more about making more money than actually doing the right thing. You may call it altruism, but I call it (what it should be anyway) standard practice. Long term success comes from offering a good product or service, good value and standing behind what you do. If you have to use deceptive tactics to move a product, then maybe it's time to consider a different one.

Now there's the whole question of personal responsibility - and I'm a huge proponant of people taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions. But that doesn't excuse people from taking advantage of their ignorance.

IMHO

Oh, and I would define a huckster as someone who peddles something of little or no value, pretending and/or intonating that there is value.

It's just that we posted at the same time!