Tag: benefits

  • I Smell a Rat! The Prisoner’s Dilemma

    Did you know the original Universities were designed as Prisons to keep unruly young men caged up while their hormones drove risky behavior that threatened the local social harmony?

    Rather than allow young people to take risks that help them to grow and experience life, we continue to indoctrinate them with social rules to help keep the order.

    The risks available to busy students are far less violent than what may be the alternatives.

    I don’t remember everything from University. There certainly weren’t a lot of dangerous risks in the small town where I studied.

    Dorm life was a party — and we could smoke indoors! A “career” after graduation seemed a lifetime away. Econ 101 taught me the benefits of Free Trade.

    I hated this class! Photo "Amherst63-012" by NealeA, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    I loved this class! Photo “Amherst63-012” by NealeA, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    And while I learned a lot I’m sure, there is plenty that I didn’t learn.

    Maybe you, too?

    •We didn’t learn how to start a business in university — the mindset of an entrepreneur.

    •We didn’t learn how to create and maintain a budget — the mindset of habit.

    •We didn’t learn to negotiate — the mindset of persuasion.

    This is the reason I’ve started PersuasionReadingList.com — to learn what I should know to understand what moves the human mind, and to share these concepts of influence with you. (more…)

  • Baked Beans Bring Hopkins Back (My Life in Advertising: Chapter 9)

    Do you like to barbecue? How about baked beans, do you like them?

    I like baked beans especially at a barbecue. They’re sweet, with a touch of tomato, brown sugar, and pork. They remind me of summer days and paper plates.

    But I don’t eat baked beans weekly.

    Summer barbecue in 1913. Looks refreshing, doesn't it? Photo courtesy Orange County Archives
    Summer barbecue in 1913. I don’t know if they served baked beans. Looks refreshing, doesn’t it? Photo courtesy Orange County Archives

    Apparently in the early 1900s, baked beans were all the rage. People couldn’t get enough. Baked beans were frequently homemade. They would sometimes ferment while cooking. Other times they would explode in the 16 hour cooking process. That didn’t stop anyone.

    (more…)