When I See
When I see a restaurant with a flash heavy website, I see a web designer who tricked a company into paying for stuff they never needed. When I see roadblock ads and site takeovers and big network buys, I think about the lies the ad rep told the executive just trying to get people to hear about his product. I think about his 40% commission. When I read stories on blogs I can hear the few-thousand-dollars-a-month publicist breathlessly selling this inevitably defunct company he signed two days before. And every time someone calls themselves a ‘social media expert’ I know that what they really did was play some company’s genuine desire to stay on top of things into a bullshit job where they don’t do anything.
I see all sorts of web and PR companies that I could start and maybe turn into something. I know I understand the terrain better. But to do it, I’d have to traffic in the same deceptions and lies as everyone else. Fleecing real businesses out of their money for promises you can never deliver. Going door to to door rounding up clients you couldn’t care less about. Taking credit for things that happened on their own, pretending that what you read on a tech blog was “research.” Waking up each morning knowing that you’re trading off ignorance and the survivorship bias.
There is a lot of money in it, for sure. It’s seductive. You’re supposed to envy those people and their ambition. But it doesn’t matter about that. Or the coolness of doing your own thing. The cost of going down that path is enormous and you can only make the choice once. After it’s paid you can never earn enough to cash out.
So what I can’t see, when I look at myself, is ever becoming that person.
My thoughts on this have changed a lot as I’ve started to understand the terrain better, and my feelings are now more aligned with what you just wrote about. But a few years ago, I could have fallen into that trap if I’d bought into these “experts” and accepted that this is just how things are done online.
So why do people buy into this garbage so easily? Is it just laziness and lack of understanding? And how does someone prevent themselves from going down the wrong path? The people who are advocating the sleazy way are the loudest and slickest of the bunch, and when you don’t know how to run a business online, it’s easy to believe the first person who claims to know what they’re talking about.
Great post. I get those sales pitches all the time, and the sad thing is that even an idiot can do it well, yet most are just out to hit the broad side of a barn. They have a saying here in Japan that even a poor marksman can make up for his shortfalls by shooing a lot of bullets. Heck, to the people in power, self titles ‘social media gurus’ seem like magicians.
I have no idea about the reality of the PR business. I’ve done one class at uni and thought fuck that ain’t for me, so my knowledge is nil and if this comment highlights that disregard it.
But when I read your comment I thought: the market must be in desperate need of a person/company that can earn their pay check by delivering genuine success and profit through publicity without lying to companies or customers.
Why couldn’t you be THAT person?
The person who can apply the right philosophies whether they’re stoic or whatever, without compromising business success.
Is that even possible in the world of PR and marketing?
“So what I can’t see, when I look at myself, is ever becoming that person.”
Actually, a huge fear of mine is waking up one day as that very person – as someone who feeds off creativity and value. It would be easy, oh so easy to slip into.
I’d rather respect myself.
With that said, I do not understand why you would have to stoop to deceptions and lies to do that job. In web/PR, as in every business, there absolutely has be a place for integrity. Couldn’t you add value to those who desire it? (I’m thinking of Dan’s comment on your previous post here) If this entire business is filled with the people that you’ve described, shouldn’t a company of integrity and virtue be able to easily penetrate?
Going Socrates on you, if you’re aware enough to know what’s wrong, shouldn’t you be able to do what’s right?
It’s not as simple as this. You can sell with fervor and integrity. Making something good enough is the part of the equation that works. Mere consulting is usually fleecing.
I’ve done it both ways, and it’s easier to sleep making (slightly) less money selling honestly than it is to go balls out and endure the tension that comes with manipulating people. Less stress, less self medication.
Most people shouldn’t run blogs.
Most people need $500 websites, not $5k websites.
Most websites should be heavy on information, and light on images.
Most people are morons…your article with the radio DJ who was probably above average…was how most people are. They benefit from coming closer to what ‘actually’ works.
Charlie, I guess another way to put it is that is that you slowly realize that even if you became the best out of anyone doing it you would still be a tool.
This post reminded me of this quote:
“Tiger, one day you will come to a fork in the road,” he said. “And you’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go.” He raised his hand and pointed. “If you go that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and you will get good assignments.” Then Boyd raised his other hand and pointed another direction. “Or you can go that way and you can do something–for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself. You will be true to your friends and to yourself. And your work might make a difference. “To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do? Which way will you go?”
Coram, Robert
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
“restaurant with a flash heavy website … web designer who tricked a company …”
I have a different, less cynical take on this than you.
I sell web dev solutions – websites handwritten XHTML 1.0 Strict, top-notch quality, blah blah blah – and I compete with those Flash-infatuated developers all the time. So I despise them just as much as the next guy …
But, I don’t think they’re “tricking” anybody. The ones I’ve seen, and in some cases met, are TRUE BELIEVERS. They probably link to those Flash-tastic websites and look at them with pride. I’ve seen these guys look at our company’s work with a look on their face, saying something like “It doesn’t dazzle.” (while I supress the urge to yell “Yours doesn’t index!”)
While manipulation is certainly prevalent in sales (if not a necessary element), I wouldn’t assume those guys are all liars so much as lower in the intellectual food chain. They’re true believers in their inferior products.
I can write some code, but I can’t create the websites I sell. On average, I get paid more off each one than the people who create them. That’s because the sales function is important. It has value.
I make a living trading off ignorance. I read tech blogs and call it research. I don’t create the product, but I can explain the concepts to regular business owners who have no idea what they need. The computer programmers can’t communicate this (especially in Latin America). They literally can’t sell their brilliant products to the very market that desperately needs them.
In trading off ignorance, I feel I’m creating value and providing a great service to the world. Every client who consults with me is 100% less likely to get ripped off.
As sleazy as your examples make it seem, I would bet that many of them are true believers in the value they create. They’re more ill-informed than anything else.
I personally aim to create real value on a massive scale, but didnt Robert say something about Iceberg Slim’s grifters and suckers?
I am always impressed by Ryan Holiday’s writing. But I can’t stand his holier than thou attitude.
The mortgage dudes were more ill informed than evil, Colin. Makes it morally better, but we’re all believing in the shit we sell.
Agreed Gary, the quiet desperation in his posts is really starting to come out.
Is Tucker not sharing enough?
Always respect the hustler, especially the benevolent one. Selling an empty promise is often selling peace of mind.
Or, don’t listen to these people because they don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about.
Defining yourself in terms of what you are not will always look at least a little like fear-driven compensation.
But the point Ryan makes is good. It doesn’t matter if you are a diligent strand of DNA if the organism you’re a part of is a virus. Maybe you made a great executive “gist” memo that does exactly what it’s supposed to do, but do you care about the organization’s vision? Do you agree with it’s methods? Is your boss (or entire department) part of a flabby, excess layer of corporate bureaucracy?
If you aren’t the creator, are you at least enabling creativity? How many degrees away from the creative process are you? These are the questions we don’t ask when we feel secure with our paycheck and a few people telling us we’re doing a good job.