In the past I’ve been as misguided about what really matters as anyone could be.
For the last twenty odd years I’ve being trying to make amends.
I had fallen prey to the abused versions of the three Ms – money, marketing and media.
Don’t get me wrong – money, marketing and media can have immense value for the higher good.
But my attention was caught by their abusive sides.
Let me explain.
Money
Yes, money makes the world go round. It’s the common transaction and reward medium.
But money of itself has no value. If you don’t understand that, there are now ample means to discover the reality. Google and YouTube will help. Make sure you don’t listen to the mad fringe – go for the factual.
Money merely represents the value of our human effort in delivering service, produce and product.
Money enables us to acquire what we need or want instead of bartered stuff we don’t need or want.
I had mistaken money to be of value in its own right and sought to make money from money – just as those fools who made more shells from other shells, the precursor to money.
I ended up with more shells (money) but nothing of value had come from it – no better service, produce or products or enjoyment of life.
Also, I didn’t realise that all money is debt and can only to be redeemed or repaid by more human effort. I was enslaved to money!
Yet money is useful – not valuable. Managed well it enables people to build their capacity to be useful and helpful and enjoying life, providing they focus on the main game – delivering human effort by way of service, produce or products.
When I focussed on just making money my usefulness and enjoyment spiralled down – I’d lost the plot.
I went bankrupt.
Marketing
Marketing is the method used to persuade people to buy what the marketers wish you to buy.
They use the three persuasion principles of Aristotle: logic, credibility and emotion.
The purpose of abusive marketers is to ensure their sustainability in the making of money (profit).
I ended up buying that which I wanted but didn’t need.
I dabbled in the process myself.
I sold that which wasn’t useful and by my Aristotelian persuasion, what my buyers thought they wanted.
I have wasted so much energy/money on that which I (and they) didn’t really need.
Ethical marketing is vital in educating us on what matters most about what we need, not just want.
Media
Media intends to inform us of what’s happened, is happening or might happen.
This is a worthy purpose if the intent is to help, educate or entertain for the higher good.
The media has been co-opted (sponsored) by marketers of all persuasions, including abusive marketers.
The media also offers what easily gains our attention.
What easily gains our attention is that which is not usual for us.
What is usual for us is the way of life that is our core nature – helpful, useful, caring, and positively entertaining and educational.
What are not usual are the tragic, horrific and negatively voyeuristic events we are given by abusive media because they believe or know this:
- We are attracted by the unusual.
- We “buy” these events.
- They desire their sustainability above that which is useful for us.
Because everything in the “bigger picture” is naturally keeping balance, it is an indisputable fact that for every “good” there is a “bad”. For example – with climate change, some regions will benefit, some will not; despite terrorism, as much good is being done that isn’t reported.
The abusive media have learned that they get more attention, make more money, by focussing on the bad.
I got trapped in that vortex and began to believe that everything was turning to poo.
I stopped paying attention to the mass media and discovered in this internet age that there are (still in the minority) media that focus on the higher good.
My Conclusion
- I only earn money by ensuring I deliver the highest service I can. I measure my service.
- I market by Aristotelian methods to inform and educate those who appreciate the value of what I market for their more important needs. I measure my clients’ growth.
- I access and harness the media to appreciate the good that occurs and to inform and educate for the higher good for others. I value our collective personal development and enjoyment of life.
- What I mean by the higher good is what works for all for the longer term, not just transient “good versus bad”.
I’m certain to hear from those abusers who believe that their money accumulation is good – knowing the human and environmental cost of acquiring that money; who say that we need to market to keep everyone productive – at the cost of massive exploitation and widespread damage; who produce abusive media to keep people scared, uncertain and reliant on “help” from the powers to be.
If you are a leader and can harness the positive use of money, marketing and media, with clear values aimed at the higher good, compelling vision and realistic goals then I will follow you and help you.
For the leaders who, however unwittingly, abuse the three Ms, I am doing all I can to dissuade them and if all else fails, block them.
If you value yourself as a leader creating a positive legacy, please get it right.
What do you think?
