This Just In: Distraction is a Business Model, TOO!

I just wrote about how Controversy is a business model -

Distraction is another nifty way of making money. Distract people from the downsides of whatever your selling. Or sell to them in a really bombarded environment where they can't think clearly and then push them in some direction. Electronics stores are a terrific example of this. Who can make a decision while standing in front of a wall of TVs all playing the same Eagles concert video?

Or better yet, catch them when they are just distracted/tired/confused enough that they will buy just to have the process over with.

This is how we sell to kids. We get the kids to kick up a rumpus about some random product, they don't even know what it is and it will make no difference in their life, and then just keep doing that until there is some result.

Often, the parent in this scenario is trying to do something else, like fish the credit card out of the wallet to pay for actual needed things, like food.

If the parent is fried enough, there's a pretty good chance they'll just say, "yeah, whatever..." to the great delight of the kid(s). It's a roll of the dice, but the thing is, the marketers are using us to roll them. By coming at us with these things when we are distracted.

Man, are we tools.

The Creative Beast doesn't like distraction. It's noisy, and thoughts don't fully take form. Connections don't get made. At least not on your terms. Maybe some marketing thing makes a connection for you between diet pills and bikini season or something. But that's not your connection. That's someone else's.

Your Creative Beast would really appreciate even a small amount of quiet. Maybe just count to ten in front of the mirror after you brush your teeth. You don't have to sign up for a week-long silent retreat to make a difference. I actually think having little islands of quiet throughout your day is terrific. Just turn off whatever media (what? you didn't even realize the radio was on?) and take a couple minutes.

Again, your Creative Beast will thank you. It's like giving it a nice pat on the head.

Controversy is a Business Model, People.

Man, Charles Schulz sure nailed it with Charlie Brown and Lucy and the football.

Some things we will just keep falling for over and over and over, because they rest too deep down in our nature for us to stop them.

One of those things is controversy. I mean, we go for it every single time. I don't even have to name anybody. Say something controversial about parenting, or about the president, live a controversial lifestyle, be a controversial family, write a controversial book or give a controversial talk, say on a radio station. On the AM dial. For example.

Thing is, controversy = attention = advertising = money.

It's that simple. Controversy is a business model, people. Nothing more than that. If you can attract attention, you can make a living.

I know I know, I just wrote about this. But when you are letting out your Creative Beast, it's important to really know what you are doing because you want to, versus what you are doing, well, because your lizard brain fell for it again.

Escaping those automatic responses is really important to creativity. This is why people who change their perspective come up with new ideas. It's why our brain thinks best when things are quiet, like in the bathroom.

If you are just paying attention to things because they attract a lot of attention, you are helping along the controversy business model.

YOU are the product, not what's on the screen or in the speakers. YOU are being sold to the advertisers. All the media are doing is serving up another football for you to run at.

And, your Creative Beast is heaving a heavy sigh.

So free your mind. Turn off the yelling voices and the people who will basically say and do anything to get attention. Don't tweet about them, don't give your own opinion - that's running at the football. And it does nothing for your Creative Beast.

Here's something really controversial: Your own creative voice. It's like no one else's. Your attention is your own, it is your power, and when you take it back, your Creative Beast thrives.

What if We Knew Less?

I was talking to a friend today, and she asked a really interesting question:

"What would happen if we just didn't have news?"

Think about that. What if we didn't have people on screens who told us about events far away, or if we didn't have a weather report, if we didn't know anything about the unemployment numbers or the opinion polls?

What if you lost your job, but you didn't know there was a recession? Would you just go out and look for another job and keep looking until you found one? And maybe notice that it took a while, but that's just because it took a while?

What if there were no trends, no memes, no instant celebrities? What if what happened to you didn't happen because of some chart going up or down? What if it just happened and you dealt with it?

What if you didn't compare yourself to people whose lives far away involve private helicopters and yachts?

Would we spend so much time trying to tear people down to make ourselves feel better?

Would we respond differently to adversity if it wasn't linked to some trend or statistic?

Would we change our expectations of ourselves and the people around us?

Would we rely on our own judgment more?

Obviously there will always be rumors, and conversations around the water cooler, and conjecture, and old wives' tales, but haven't we gotten awfully good at taking one thing and blasting it out over so many people that it becomes essentially meaningless?

I'm just asking, I don't know the answer.

I'm asking, "What would happen if....?" which happens to be one of my favorite questions. Here's a little presentation about that very question. It sure opens up some interesting doors when you ask it. Enjoy!

The Best Question in the World

View more presentations from Betsy Streeter.