-TW
August 31, 2008, 12:39 AM
My point was not about altruism.
Altruism is akin to charity.
There's a whole world BETWEEN charity + hucksterism!
Hey, I'm a big believer in the profit motive. Hell, I'm even a big believer in generating OBSCENE profits.
Ain't nothing wrong with turning a profit!
What my OP was driving at was crossing the line between being an entrepreneur WITH scruples to one without scruples -- as well as being able to SEE hucksters for what they are, instead of glorifying them, because you are too deluded to recognize their hucksterism.
What's the difference between a legitimate entrepreneur and a huckster?
That's hard to define. It's like art -- you know it when you see it (hopefully).
There's nothing wrong with offering something of value and getting (well) paid for it.
It's when that system starts to include ripping people off -- scamming them -- that the tide turns.
I'm suddenly becoming AWARE that there are waaaay too many THINLY VEILED charlatans out there.
Maybe they were once really trying to operate on the 'good side' (and I DO NOT mean goodie-two shoes, altruistic, warm+fuzzy helpfulness) -- but then they turned to a life of SLEAZY 'crime' by 'robbing the bank' instead of playing by the rules.
The gurus who are actually playing their audience FOR FOOLS!
THAT'S what I am suddenly becoming aware of.
I see them cloaked in all kinds of ways -- but like the final scene in The Matrix, I can now see them clearly.
Some are cloaked as well-meaning, almost-jolly, overweight, aging guru types -- some cloak themselves as middle-age, new-age surfer dudes -- and those are the creative types.
Some are so LAZY, they cloak themselves in a 'gig' that's 20+ years old + VERY TIRESOME! -- That of a wise-cracking, wise-ass, (supposedly) hip, 'edgy' take no prisoners, lone wolf, gruff, brusk, (supposedly) clever, cool marketing whiz.
How very staggeringly, colossally BORING + PREDICTABLE + TIRESOME (and UNinspired)!
Again, my point here is, there's PLENTY of space between warm+fuzzy altruism, and hucksterism.
No need to drift to either extreme.
-- TW
Altruism is akin to charity.
There's a whole world BETWEEN charity + hucksterism!
Hey, I'm a big believer in the profit motive. Hell, I'm even a big believer in generating OBSCENE profits.
Ain't nothing wrong with turning a profit!
What my OP was driving at was crossing the line between being an entrepreneur WITH scruples to one without scruples -- as well as being able to SEE hucksters for what they are, instead of glorifying them, because you are too deluded to recognize their hucksterism.
What's the difference between a legitimate entrepreneur and a huckster?
That's hard to define. It's like art -- you know it when you see it (hopefully).
There's nothing wrong with offering something of value and getting (well) paid for it.
It's when that system starts to include ripping people off -- scamming them -- that the tide turns.
I'm suddenly becoming AWARE that there are waaaay too many THINLY VEILED charlatans out there.
Maybe they were once really trying to operate on the 'good side' (and I DO NOT mean goodie-two shoes, altruistic, warm+fuzzy helpfulness) -- but then they turned to a life of SLEAZY 'crime' by 'robbing the bank' instead of playing by the rules.
The gurus who are actually playing their audience FOR FOOLS!
THAT'S what I am suddenly becoming aware of.
I see them cloaked in all kinds of ways -- but like the final scene in The Matrix, I can now see them clearly.
Some are cloaked as well-meaning, almost-jolly, overweight, aging guru types -- some cloak themselves as middle-age, new-age surfer dudes -- and those are the creative types.
Some are so LAZY, they cloak themselves in a 'gig' that's 20+ years old + VERY TIRESOME! -- That of a wise-cracking, wise-ass, (supposedly) hip, 'edgy' take no prisoners, lone wolf, gruff, brusk, (supposedly) clever, cool marketing whiz.
How very staggeringly, colossally BORING + PREDICTABLE + TIRESOME (and UNinspired)!
Again, my point here is, there's PLENTY of space between warm+fuzzy altruism, and hucksterism.
No need to drift to either extreme.
-- TW
