Hi Dave,

As one who marketeers, I’d agree that some of the bunch are smarmy money and influence pedlers. But some of us tell people about good things in an honest way and make inroads by rooting the message in something truthful and real. The problem with micromessaging as I see it in my work day to day is that the vast majority of people get so overwhelmed by the info flying at them, or so overwhelmed at what they feel is pressure to make “the right” choice, that they give up and end up choosing whatever they can find, or they ask a community of family/ friends/ co workers… and for them they’re almost un-marketeered to in the end. I’m supposed to approach that as a challenge to overcome I think, to keep my clubhouse pass, but actually I like a little rebellion and like to whisper “it’s all a lie” randomly to shoppers. I think we see it – all the subtle marketing – the problem is that it all takes up so much of the air around us there’s not much alternative awareness unless we find it and share it ourselves.

As for the OLPC, I got to play with one last week and almost dropped it as it’s super top heavy. The corporate telecoms company rep showing it off (did I know he had the first Blackberry in the UK and the first iphone and the first blah blah blah…) told me that it won’t do that in the developing world because they’ll PUT THEM ON STUFF. Hmmm. On stuff. How will it get onto the stuff? And where will this stuff sit? And if the only other way to make it not topple is to flip the screen down into tablet mode how do you then type? And we weren’t to touh the wireless antennae – they’re really breakable. Oscar would have had it in bits in about the length of a radio ad.

As for the need to be politic to succeed – I’ll relate a story I grew up with. My mom was the first woman to work in the research lab at a big sugar refinery in her hometown. She was highly qualified, keen to work, had great references, and the man who eventually hired her told her she was his last choice. He’d never hired a woman and he wasn’t convinced they had the mental stamina to be researchers or weren’t just working to find a good husband. You’ve met my mom. She’s fierce when needs be. But she smiled, took the job and peed in the mens room for a year until they assigned the women (!) a room of their own. Her view – she could have stayed outside the building and screamed at the walls, or gone inside and made the changes by hook, crook and guile. Diplomatic yes. Effective, absolutely.

Elise