An inquiring mind is a healthy mind.
When I was in school, a professor showed us a clip from a popular advertising campaign celebrating women of all shapes. The core message was empowerment. We loved it. She paused the ad. “Can anyone tell me what this campaign aims to achieve?” Hands shot up, “Women’s empowerment!” “Celebrating ourselves!” “Never be ashamed of your body!” “Being informed and knowledgeable about our rights.” We were so proud of our answers.
She smiled and responded, “The goal of this campaign is to sell you (brand name) soap. It aims to increase sales of (brand name) soap.” You could have heard a pin drop. She pointed out that the same manufacturer also sold a deodorant that happened to pair perfectly with this soap. Pristine-smelling armpits meant great-smelling profits for the manufacturer, which was, of course, the big goal.
“We humans prefer to believe that we are 100 percent rational, making the right decision every time. All we do is make decisions based upon the many beliefs, messages and biases we’ve been exposed to since birth,” she continued. “Emotionally appealing ads win consumers over every time. The aim is to connect a specific product with a positive experience and make you feel good. Research shows that factual ads don’t do as well. This is why we see so many ‘experiential’ ads. When you find something emotionally appealing, you buy it without much thought.”
And how do we attempt to get out of these ‘emotional message traps’?
“Question every message you get bombarded with. Who is the messenger? What are they selling? What do they gain by selling you a message or product? Why are you being fed that message? What do you hope to gain by buying into that message or product? Is that a realistic gain or are you being influenced by your emotions? Are you being greedy or seeking instant gratification? Being a skeptic helps sharpen your critical thinking skills and better yourself. This applies to every area of your life.”
If we ask these questions and remain unconvinced, what do we do?
“Walk away and don’t turn back. You won’t regret it,” she said.
An inquiring mind is a healthy mind. Any message that keeps nudging you to change your behavior or claims to give you something for nothing must be questioned. You won’t succeed every time but will fare far better than many who swallow these messages without thought and regret it later.
Keeping this in mind certainly helps in this age when ‘innovative ideas and solutions’ are sold as apps, a mere click away. I remember ads popping up on my screen for a popular investment app. A lovely green, it promised no-fee investing. I downloaded it and provided some personal information. The gaming model was entertaining.
Questions started running like a ticker in my mind. “Who is selling this and why are they selling it? What do they gain by this? What do I gain by this? Why are they offering something for nothing?” Besides, how did they make money if they offered commission-free investing to customers? No one runs a business that doesn’t make a profit. I wanted more information. I searched for a customer service number. I couldn’t find one.
The color green? Ah, the ‘greenback’… the color of money. I had heard and imbibed that message over the years. The gaming model? Not many can resist an easy video game. Only, this was no game. I walked away, thanking my ‘skeptic’ professor. A rule of thumb is to never invest in something you don’t understand. In this case I didn’t even understand the tool I would be using to invest. This wouldn’t work for me.
Some of the best stories are written by journalists who want to convince you to agree with their point of view. They are selling their viewpoint on a critical issue and want you on their side. The pen is indeed mightier than the sword. Again, ask questions. What do they gain by having you on their side? What do you gain? What does your community gain? Can you make a difference? Keeping this in mind can help rationalize how you feel about issues affecting your country and the world.
You can hone your powers of rationalization by checking out the website of any large organization in any field. The mission and company statement are carefully crafted to make them emotionally appealing. They sound almost evangelistic. The selling point is to prove that they are clear about their purpose which is to better the world or your life in some way. This is attractive, because most people are unsure about their life’s purpose and everyone wants a better life.
Emotionally, they feel that being part of that organization will somehow help them better the world even if they are sitting in front of a computer all day, every day. Understand that you are being paid in return for your labor. Asking a few skeptical questions will help you maintain a strong identity without making the organization’s mission your life mission. It will also help you discover and live a meaningful life outside of work without sacrificing your identity at the altar of corporate evangelism.
Consider yourself fortunate if you come across people who aren’t continuously strategic about how they give or interact with you. They are a rare breed, though. Most will likely sell messages to better their image and success. These messages are largely meant to ensure that you play your role as part of a whole and think the way they want you to in order to ensure their success.
When you allow others to think for you, you allow them to manipulate your thoughts and life. So look out for yourself. Start thinking for yourself. Why is this message being enforced so often? What does the opposite party stand to gain or lose? What do I gain? Does this person improve the quality of my life? Am I learning more? Am I developing a better identity or losing it?
Make an informed decision once the answers emerge. If you want to move on, write down what you need to be able to walk away. Money? Start saving what you can. A new skill? Start learning. Courage? Mental and emotional fear is irrational, immobilizing millions right now because they are afraid to take the next step. Do you want to be one of them? Instead of waiting or expecting someone to provide answers, start seeking people who can point you in the right direction. Keep asking those questions because no one has all the answers. Seek your own answers! You’ll be stunned when you see how few even dare to seek their own answers because they blindly follow ‘authority’ and live in fear.
What if you are ready to move forward now? Don’t waste another moment. Walk away. You will never regret it. Life will feel meaningful. Only you know your needs well enough to take care of yourself. Keep learning. Abundance and fulfillment will follow.
