Every Choice You Make
Has a bearing on the world you live in
What’s your favorite whiskey, or beer, or soda? Do you know why it’s your favourite?
Did you choose it because of the way it tastes on your tongue, the way it goes down or was there some other motivation for making that choice?
The other day, while reading a very good story from Terry Trueman, we shared a laugh about the way he chooses to enjoy Scotch. The story, and our little joke, got me thinking about the ways we affect the world without really knowing it.
Terry’s story touches on the belief systems of individuals, and how they move in and out of our lives. It intrigued me because I often struggle with, not my beliefs, but rather the way I manifest them.
His story also talks about the choices we make from within, like the ones made by the wonderful artist friend he describes in his piece.
Similarly, we too make choices every day in our lives, yet without reflecting on what those choices might say about us as people. Those whims are not unique to a certain group, or type of person. We all choose occasionally regardless of the unseen implications that choice may have.
Let’s take that beer I mentioned earlier as an example. I have a personal preference for a dark ale with enough of a bitter edge to leave a lingering aftertaste on my tongue. I know that sounds pretentious, but that is really how I feel about the generally, British beers I tend to enjoy.
What about you? You may be a pilsner lover, or you might just be more satisfied with the quench of a light beer or crisp lager. Whichever the case, I know that I can sit in a pub (at least I used to anyway), and enjoy my ale in peace while others are imbibing on pilsners, lagers, or the drink of their choice.
When each of us reaches the bottom of our glass, we as strangers, go our separate ways without comment or care. There are most likely some in that pub who are drinking a given beer type because of different influences.
You know the people I mean. They have bought into a perception that a certain persona will emerge in them if they continue to select that particular brand. They bought into the advertising, the idea of the product projected by the advertiser.
If you’re old enough, think back to the days of the Marlboro Man, the ‘tall in the saddle’ cowboy that made smoking his particular brand of cigarette the coolest thing on earth. They even had a brand that was recommended by ‘four out of five doctors’.
Ok, the going excuse is, “we didn’t know as much back then”. Bulls**t!
We all rationalize choices when they are sold to us well. I’m not suggesting there’s anything wrong with that, but every choice, no matter how small, will have consequences. A choice of beer based on how the product is marketed is a projection of who you are. That choice moves the needle on said product’s bottom line without proof of product quality, but rather a vain image of what it represents.
It may seem minuscule from an individual perspective, but for everyone that makes his or her choice this way, there are countless more. The product then is being propelled by its reputation. It’s no different than say, driving a certain brand of car based on the prestige it represents, or listening to gurus who tell us they have the definitive answer on how to do something successfully, like writing, guaranteed.
Many of the other choices we make in our lives can occur in much the same way. Depending on the environment we were born into, our belief in other things will be coloured by our learned experiences. Religion, for example, generally perpetuates its message in this manner.
That’s what good marketing does. It perpetuates a perception that with consistency, permeates through time and grows in prominence.
This is not a knock on religion. Many practice their faith with a considered effort to gain knowledge about its edicts. Sincere faith through personal understanding is laudable for anyone that can find it.
I chose my taste for ale based on trial and informative study. I have the gut to prove it. My choice expresses a part of who I am. I’m very comfortable with who I am.
We have seen several extreme examples of this kind of marketing over the last few months of the American election campaign, where choices are being forced from varying sources. It does not matter which side of the political spectrum you fall on. Political campaigns are pure forms of marketing events.
The incumbent President has created a perception that has been masterfully marketed to a pliable constituency. Whether you agree or not, the message was sent to a predisposed group of disenfranchised believers. The promise of sweeping change is a powerful elixir to any who aren’t happy with their current situation.
Conversely, this campaign that has been waged over the past four years, has sparked the imagination of another voice in the same arena. And, it isn’t even coming from the opposing party.
A group of the Republican party’s finest marketing minds has taken on the task of promoting an entirely different message. Members of The Lincoln Project launched a counter-campaign that in many cases, successfully undermined the efforts of the incumbent. These individuals were so compelled because they believed that the President was tearing away the foundations that made up the Republican party platform.
You can’t help but wonder where it all went off the rails when members of the same party are motivated by this kind of response. Not only has the outgoing President’s marketing machine fractured the foundation of his own party, but it has created a chasm between Republicans and Democrats that simply denies the engagement of normal political discourse.
The result? More people than usual made choices out of anger and frustration, on three sides. A similar result occurred in 2016, too.
So, here we sit. Using the analogy of the previously mentioned pub scene, we are now engaged in a full out barroom brawl. People simply won’t allow others to their own beliefs without fear of reproach.
Isn’t that what the Constitution was founded on?
Whatever you’ve chosen, you should be either able to converse rationally about it, or at least be willing to live with the consequences when others don’t agree. It’s not a one-way street.
We should be able to articulate our value proposition for making that choice, without discounting the choices made by others.
If you can’t sit in a bar and enjoy your preferred brew without demeaning the choice made by your neighbour, then you’re basically saying there should only be one brand of beer available.
Now that’s not very democratic, is it? It may very well be that’s what some of us want though.
That’s too bad. Usually, a pint goes down better with good conversation.
It’s a big world out there, so if I can’t enjoy my pint of ale here in peace, well, I’m going to stay here and drink it here anyway.
After all, that is my right.
As always, thanks for taking the time.