The Banality of Complacency
Happy Monday to everyone. I hope you woke up well-rested, kissed your significant other good-morning, told your children you love them always, gave your pet a stroke on the head… and avoided the ongoing speculation about the latest wanna-be suicide bomber.
We already know the basics about this murderer-in-training, such as her nationality, age and gender. And let’s not forget her marital status, which obviously changed the moment her husband blew himself up on November 9, 2005 at the Radisson SAS in Amman, Jordan.
Yes, the world’s a dangerous place. Horrific events occur every day, some man-made, others not. And we have an obligation to report, to inform, and to try to explain, these events. But the downside of being exposed to a relentless onslaught of bad news is that pretty soon people believe that they can’t make a bit of positive difference. And suddenly they find themselves guilty of the Banality of Complacency.
But if we make the effort, we’ll see that a lot of newsworthy information is uplifting. There’s even an organization, the Good News Corporation, devoted exclusively to “making a positive impact through news, entertainment and events.”
So let’s try something new… let’s not be guilty of negativity, of “bringing things down” just for the sake of ratings or sales or simply because we can. Instead, let’s use our talents and skills as PR professionals, bloggers, marketers, attorneys, conflict managers and all other Participants of Life to make a positive difference.
And when it’s necessary to share disturbing information, let’s give our audiences and clients something to hang on to so they’re not left feeling helpless and hopeless. How’s that for being controversial?
Well said Andrea…
As a baby boomer who’s aware of my impending status as part of the “mature market” — and a marketer by trade — I’ve been reading with interest “Serving the Ageless Market” by David B. Wolfe.
It’s a very detailed primer on how to sell to the 50+ market, and while the whole of it is fascinating, it was just this week that I read that, as a group, the “older” among us are unselfish, driven by altruism, and have a real need to do for others.
(In other words, marketers had better portray boomers, seniors, and the elderly in roles they wish to identify with!)
With bad news in the driver’s seat most of the time, this is a spot good news…that we’re about to enter an era where our largest target market — the 50+ — puts POSITIVE values first.