Guinea Pigs

Here’s the deal, I want my stuff to work.

I expect the stuff I buy to perform as promised.  If it doesn’t work I want my money back and I’ll get something that works.  My life is easy that way… and I have Rich People to thank.

Not only do they own and operate the places that make and sell me the stuff I want, they are the guinea pigs for the crap that might work but typically doesn’t.

If it wasn’t for rich people I wouldn’t have a 32″ flat screen in my home because there wouldn’t have been anybody foolish enough to pay $3000 for the same TV just a few years ago.

If it wasn’t for Rich People I wouldn’t be sure that the air bags in my car would work because there would never have been anybody foolish enough to buy them in overpriced high-end cars so the bugs could be worked out.  Suckers!

If it wasn’t for Rich People I wouldn’t be able to avoid cooking at home because of all the various Tasty Restaurants out there that they bank roll on behalf of their friends and family.

If it wasn’t for Rich people I wouldn’t have the “routine” knee surgery with only three tiny holes in my leg because no-one would have had the money to risk on creating the arthroscopic technology… the old way worked just not as well and with far more side effects and big scars.  So the Rich opted to go the new way, making it cheaper and more available for the rest of us.

If it wasn’t for rich people wanting the “best” first then all of us would suffer ridiculously high prices for far from reliable products.  These “early adopters” are the test subjects, lab rats, beta testers… Guinea Pigs.

Product developers cannot work out all of the problems with a new product until they get them out into “real world” situations which means in the hands of consumers that use them in ways never imagined.  These consumers are the rich people and their family, friends and associates.  (que evil laugh: Bhaa..Ha, ha, ha…..)

I love that Rich People are the guinea pigs, and not me… I also love that Rich People pay enormous sums just for the privilege.  These enormous sums keep the rest of us employed trying out new ideas on them… Brilliant!

So thank you Rich People for buying big, over priced, crappy cars.  And thank you for getting addicted to Personal Computers, Crackberrys not to mention Palm pilots with their own language you had to learn to write (remember those?).  Please also accept my gratitude for buying horrible little green electric death traps you pretend are cars, because I know eventually your ridiculous desire to make a statement will lead to something worthwhile for me… like a huge electric 600 horse-power 4-door 4×4 pick-up truck.  (I’m waiting…)

In the End,

We don’t need them to be nice… we just need them to be Rich.

Contrary to what non-thinkers want you to believe…

We should never promote the Government TAKING their money… instead we should always promote an environment where they SPEND their money, Voluntarily.  ‘Redistirubtuion does not have to be forced… it happens everyday, all by itself.  Only Theft must be Forced.  (Because, if the The Bloated, Wasteful Government can TAKE ‘Their” money they can TAKE “Our” money too.  Not cool.)

So, I raise my glass of 12-year-old imported scotch that I only paid $20 bucks for because you guys drink tons of it!

Thank you Rich People!

Cheers!

Everett M. Rogers‘ Diffusion of Innovations

(originally posted 021212)

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Light Up!

Smoking is Cool!

It’s The New Land Rover…

The New Rolex…

The Ferrari you always wanted…

Once upon a time watches that couldn’t keep time and Cars that didn’t run were the Status Symbols of the Rich.

All you needed was a Rolex on your wrist or a Land Rover in your gara… well, in the shop… and you advertised for all who cared that you were doing so well that you could afford stuff that didn’t work.  You Had Arrived!

But thanks to folks like Nanny Mike Bloomberg, things are a Changin’.

Now a Smoking Habit is all the rage for those wishing to demonstrate their ability to prolifically waste money.

It’s the New Cool…

From Movie Stars to your next door neighbor.

How did this occur?

Well, when you take something that is a mediocre product, harmful even, and Force the price up so high through taxing and regulation that ‘normal’ everyday people cannot afford it something changes…  (Remember Palm Pilots?  Saffron?  Pepper used to be this way too, but it’s very unlikely any of you are that old.)

It becomes a Status Symbol.

Why?

Because only the Rich, and those who want you to think they’re Rich, will buy them.  The Genuinely Rich get to continue eating.  The Rich in Name Only get the benefit of losing weight, but looking very, very hip.

That Product becomes a Talisman for all to see which says “I’m doing Awesome!  In fact, I’m doing way better than you.  And, I can afford this crappy item whenever I want.  Nana nana nanaaa…”

I suppose there might be some honesty well after the fact of owning these things is over…  I’m guessing Lung Cancer will be considered a drawback after the Coolness wears off as it’s hard to sell or give away.

Same with a Land Rover…

Ask anyone who owns one and they’ll regale you with what an ‘amazing’ and ‘wonderful’ piece of… equipment… it is.  But return after they have sold it and you get the truth.  Prepare yourself by setting aside an hour or so to listen to the horror stories of wasted time and vast black hole of expense associated with such items whose equity is built entirely on Status making for a very small and inexpensive secondary market.  But Rich people can often lose the kind of money that would make the rest consider stepping in front of a bus…

I have stated before my Love of Rich People.  My opinion has not changed.

They are the Guinea Pigs for the rest of us.  Companies experiment on them and the only the best ideas find their way down to the masses (me).  I like it that way.  Rich folks can afford to waste their money-making my life better.  Bless their Hearts.

But I just can’t figure out how smoking fits into that paradigm… unless removing themselves in the slowest possible way from being a long-term healthcare burden on the rest of us is taken into account.  However, I don’t give most folks the credit for thinking that far ahead, or being that benevolent.

Regardless of how turns out in the long run I will always be fascinated be the unintended consequences created by The Meddlers like Bloomberg, et al.

The hilarity of it all makes me want to light up.

And sip another Whiskey.