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| (photocredit: Symphone of Love) |
The Secret to Enjoying Life is in Entertainment, in the Magic of Believing.
Mundania (Piers Anthony's series) is the curse people live in. They are willing to throw it all away for someone who can invite them on a journey to hope. This is how politicians work, this is how cars are sold, how insurance makes its big bucks.
The secret is right in front of everyone - 97% or more of this planet are here for entertainment, for diversion.
This is the secret to all (e)commerce.
And how to do it is held in those old books on copywriting, and in the Strangest Secret series.
This is why people will pay for lessons - to anyone who can take them away from it all and give them hope about their lives.
People who are optimistic live longer, find more opportunities, get rich or poor to the exact degree they enthuse others in their quest. (Not too surprising even idiot politicians can fall into this "get-elected-quick" scheme.)
None of this is unknown. People want someone to hold their hand and tell them how very smart they are for making it all the way there. Now, the story goes, there is yet another journey to take. It won't be easy, it will try your very soul. But when you succeed - and everyone hopes you will - it will bring solve all your problems, it will heal all those old emotional wounds you've been inflicted with, it will make your life one of continual song and dance.
This is the reason for story, the reason why people have to be sold. People want to be invited to take the epic journey, to lose themselves in their own Star Wars or Famous Author saga - they want to go down the river with Huck Finn, they want to find romance in the deep woods of an unknown planet, they want to be the hero or heroine and know everything they went through was all worth it - they want to battle trolls and evil wizards, side-by-side with elves and fairies and dwarves, while carrying magic potions, enchanted weapons, and power rings.
This is the actual reason for existence.
You see, we seem to have picked the wrong world this time. The one we live is in full of recrimination and fault-finding. Dull, boring Matrix-like cubicles. It's no surprise that we want one filled with adventure, heroes/heroines, attainable sky-high goals, incredible danger. Beats the hell out of mundane day-to-day living with fellow Muggles.
So now, I have a different respect for marketers. Most still don't know what they are doing, but that is no surprise. The ones who are truly outstanding are the ones who are always holding out invitations to the next journey and adventure.
Those are the ones to study, learning even when they fail.
Because for us, to paraphrase Dorothea Brande - we can "Act As Though It's Only Possible to Succeed."
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