Comments on: the ignorance premium http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/ "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" Wed, 23 May 2012 20:07:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: "Hello_World" http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4228 "Hello_World" Tue, 16 Aug 2005 06:45:29 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4228 <strong>iGnorance is bliss!</strong> Hugh: Know diddly-squat about tech? Then you're more likely to go with the $400 iPod, less likely to go with the $250 Microsoft-powered alternative. Kathy: And I decided that paying extra for my iPod is worth it (but it's iGnorance is bliss!

Hugh: Know diddly-squat about tech? Then you’re more likely to go with the $400 iPod, less likely to go with the $250 Microsoft-powered alternative. Kathy: And I decided that paying extra for my iPod is worth it (but it’s

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4222 hugh macleod Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:07:24 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4222 "Capitalism works when you create something, not when you save all you can. Capitalism isn't about bickering for a better price on beaded necklesses. If you spent all day trying to get better prices, when would you have time to draw on business cards? If you want a better standard of living, invent google." I totally agree with that, Chris. “Capitalism works when you create something, not when you save all you can. Capitalism isn’t about bickering for a better price on beaded necklesses. If you spent all day trying to get better prices, when would you have time to draw on business cards? If you want a better standard of living, invent google.“
I totally agree with that, Chris.

]]> By: shannonsays.com http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4227 shannonsays.com Sun, 06 Feb 2005 16:00:26 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4227 <strong>The death of the Ignorance Premium. Or: "Why Blogging matters"</strong> Two excellent posts from Hugh Macleod that talk about the impact that smarter markets are having when it comes to making purchasing decisons: The death of the Ignorance Premium. Or: “Why Blogging matters”

Two excellent posts from Hugh Macleod that talk about the impact that smarter markets are having when it comes to making purchasing decisons:

]]> By: kadavy http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4221 kadavy Sun, 06 Feb 2005 09:07:24 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4221 "If I buy an Armani instead of going to China town, it is because I don't have time to go all over town looking for a suit. I want something quick so I can get back to creating value. There is value in convience." Maybe I can demonstrate why getting an Armani isn't any faster. Old Way You: Who makes a good suit? Armani Advertisement: Armani New Way You: Who makes a good suit? Huge Network of Consumers: Oh, there's this great tailor in Chinatown. I got a suit from him. It fits perfect, and I don't have to worry about running into some other clueless jerk who got the same thing on sale at Macy's over the weekend. He knows a ton about baseball, too. Tell him I said "Hi." “If I buy an Armani instead of going to China town, it is because I don’t have time to go all over town looking for a suit. I want something quick so I can get back to creating value. There is value in convience.“
Maybe I can demonstrate why getting an Armani isn’t any faster.
Old Way
You: Who makes a good suit?
Armani Advertisement: Armani
New Way
You: Who makes a good suit?
Huge Network of Consumers: Oh, there’s this great tailor in Chinatown. I got a suit from him. It fits perfect, and I don’t have to worry about running into some other clueless jerk who got the same thing on sale at Macy’s over the weekend. He knows a ton about baseball, too. Tell him I said “Hi.”

]]> By: TSMI's Trade Show Marketing Report http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4226 TSMI's Trade Show Marketing Report Sat, 05 Feb 2005 12:22:22 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4226 <strong>The Ignorance Premium</strong> My backlog of RSS feeds topped out at over 400 this week, a sure sign that my blogging has taken a back seat to other priorities. The Ignorance Premium

My backlog of RSS feeds topped out at over 400 this week, a sure sign that my blogging has taken a back seat to other priorities.

]]> By: Evelyn Rodriguez http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4220 Evelyn Rodriguez Sat, 05 Feb 2005 10:48:35 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4220 OK, I'll bite... "Of course, I could get really Buddhist about it and say "An Ego Premium IS an Ignorance Premium, Grasshopper"..." Ah, if we are willing to be truly claim our ignorance then we'd drop the Ego. But, nope, we're all somewhere on the spectrum of know-it-all. "Forgo everything that you have thought meaningful, significant, up to now." - Buddha OK, I’ll bite…
“Of course, I could get really Buddhist about it and say “An Ego Premium IS an Ignorance Premium, Grasshopper”…“
Ah, if we are willing to be truly claim our ignorance then we’d drop the Ego. But, nope, we’re all somewhere on the spectrum of know-it-all.
“Forgo everything that you have thought meaningful, significant, up to now.” — Buddha

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4219 hugh macleod Sat, 05 Feb 2005 07:18:38 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4219 "If I buy an Armani instead of going to China town, it is because I don't have time to go all over town looking for a suit. I want something quick so I can get back to creating value. There is value in convience." An Armani suit is no quicker than a Chinese Suit. But then, fair enough, you were too busy "creating value" elsewhere to know that ;-) But oh yeah, the economics of convenience is fascinating stuff. “If I buy an Armani instead of going to China town, it is because I don’t have time to go all over town looking for a suit. I want something quick so I can get back to creating value. There is value in convience.“
An Armani suit is no quicker than a Chinese Suit.
But then, fair enough, you were too busy “creating value” elsewhere to know that ;-)
But oh yeah, the economics of convenience is fascinating stuff.

]]> By: Timbo http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4218 Timbo Sat, 05 Feb 2005 06:52:56 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4218 Hugh, Gotta love the emotion that flies whenever you mention Mac/Apple/Microsoft/PC. (Or rather, perceived emotion. Why is The Other always thought of as "defensive" rather than "opinionated"?) I trust that you don't throw those references in there just to make us jump, though. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility ;-) As for ego premium, etc., don't try and tell me that people who buy the "alternative" product don't sprain their arms patting themselves on the back for being so, well, damn alternative. Hugh,
Gotta love the emotion that flies whenever you mention Mac/Apple/Microsoft/PC.
(Or rather, perceived emotion. Why is The Other always thought of as “defensive” rather than “opinionated”?)
I trust that you don’t throw those references in there just to make us jump, though. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility ;-)
As for ego premium, etc., don’t try and tell me that people who buy the “alternative” product don’t sprain their arms patting themselves on the back for being so, well, damn alternative.

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4217 hugh macleod Sat, 05 Feb 2005 05:46:12 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4217 Of course, I could get really Buddhist about it and say "An Ego Premium IS an Ignorance Premium, Grasshopper"... Of course, I could get really Buddhist about it and say “An Ego Premium IS an Ignorance Premium, Grasshopper”…

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4216 hugh macleod Sat, 05 Feb 2005 05:34:10 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4216 No worries, Colleen... it's OK to like Macintosh. Seriosuly. I don't hold it against you. Truly. Ego Tax, Asshole Tax, Fucktard Tax, it's all good... No worries, Colleen… it’s OK to like Macintosh. Seriosuly. I don’t hold it against you. Truly.
Ego Tax, Asshole Tax, Fucktard Tax, it’s all good…

]]> By: Colleen http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4215 Colleen Sat, 05 Feb 2005 03:59:11 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4215 I'll do you one better, Hugh. I say your Ignorance Premium falls under the rubric of what I've deemed "Asshole Tax". Quoting myself from a post a couple of months ago (talk about assholes), "Essentially, you're forking over a premium (tax) on top of what you'd ordinarily pay because you: (a) did not organize your time properly; (b) remember what you shouldn't have forgotten; or (c) otherwise wantonly disregarded the plainly obvious I’ll do you one better, Hugh. I say your Ignorance Premium falls under the rubric of what I’ve deemed “Asshole Tax”.
Quoting myself from a post a couple of months ago (talk about assholes), “Essentially, you’re forking over a premium (tax) on top of what you’d ordinarily pay because you: (a) did not organize your time properly; (b) remember what you shouldn’t have forgotten; or © otherwise wantonly disregarded the plainly obvious

]]> By: Brian Eder http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4214 Brian Eder Sat, 05 Feb 2005 02:42:03 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4214 > It occurs to me that a worryingly large chunk of the people in the Anglo-American middle class basically make their living from charging an "Ignorance Premium". It's hard to argue with this point. In many ways it's true, but then again that is the American Way. The idea of a good product for a fair price seemed to fall (for the most part) to the wayside with our grandfathers. It's all about what the market will bear these days. In other words, "What can we get away with charging you?" I don't know that this is dictated by the middle class though? I like to think something's changing. I like to believe that our growing voice in the blogosphere has something to do with it. I want to believe that the future of marketing really is "about letting people know that they are part of something interesting" as Larry Weber so eloquently stated. That's probably more along the lines of what our forefathers were thinking... e pluribus unum... from many comes one. Do people buy the iPod out of ignorance, or because they believe that they are part of something interesting? I'd like to believe it's more the latter than the former. I think ignorance has been more a tool of the strong in the past. It has a strange relationship to the trickle down theory. Just look at the history of religion for a good example. But, as information gets more distributed it becomes a bit easier to fight the good fight. I've been self-employed for a good 12 years now. The biggest battle for us has always been against bigger companies with deeper pockets. Money has always been synonymous with power. We were less horified by the crash in the economy than a large corporation because in a world where no one has money to throw around, ideas are king. That's a place where we could compete. Repeating tired cliches like "ignorance is bliss"... well that just perpetuates the status quo. "The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong." > It occurs to me that a worryingly large chunk of the people in the Anglo-American middle class basically make their living from charging an “Ignorance Premium”.
It’s hard to argue with this point. In many ways it’s true, but then again that is the American Way. The idea of a good product for a fair price seemed to fall (for the most part) to the wayside with our grandfathers. It’s all about what the market will bear these days. In other words, “What can we get away with charging you?” I don’t know that this is dictated by the middle class though?
I like to think something’s changing. I like to believe that our growing voice in the blogosphere has something to do with it. I want to believe that the future of marketing really is “about letting people know that they are part of something interesting” as Larry Weber so eloquently stated. That’s probably more along the lines of what our forefathers were thinking… e pluribus unum… from many comes one.
Do people buy the iPod out of ignorance, or because they believe that they are part of something interesting? I’d like to believe it’s more the latter than the former.
I think ignorance has been more a tool of the strong in the past. It has a strange relationship to the trickle down theory. Just look at the history of religion for a good example. But, as information gets more distributed it becomes a bit easier to fight the good fight.
I’ve been self-employed for a good 12 years now. The biggest battle for us has always been against bigger companies with deeper pockets. Money has always been synonymous with power. We were less horified by the crash in the economy than a large corporation because in a world where no one has money to throw around, ideas are king. That’s a place where we could compete.
Repeating tired cliches like “ignorance is bliss”… well that just perpetuates the status quo.
“The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong.”

]]> By: Katherine http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4213 Katherine Sat, 05 Feb 2005 02:39:22 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4213 How much extra does not knowing have to cost me before it's worthwhile to get smart? Sure, I can save $600 by finding the tailor in Chinatown. But if the time I spend finding him is worth more than $600, what have I really saved? How much extra does not knowing have to cost me before it’s worthwhile to get smart? Sure, I can save $600 by finding the tailor in Chinatown. But if the time I spend finding him is worth more than $600, what have I really saved?

]]> By: Evelyn Rodriguez http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4212 Evelyn Rodriguez Sat, 05 Feb 2005 02:09:10 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4212 Oh, there's so much to comment on this juicy post. But I'll be brief, I don't think it is an Ignorance Premium - I think it is an Ego Premium. Oh, there’s so much to comment on this juicy post. But I’ll be brief, I don’t think it is an Ignorance Premium — I think it is an Ego Premium.

]]> By: Jay http://gapingvoid.com/2005/02/04/the-ignorance-premium/#comment-4211 Jay Sat, 05 Feb 2005 02:03:45 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1245#comment-4211 I have 2 things to say: 1) Way to go Hugh! I embrace the death of Branding - it is outdated and overrated and I will dance on it's grave happily 2) As evidenced by all the comments from the loyal Ipod users - when somebody really loves a brand they get defensive - and take themselves WAY to seriously. Mellow out guys! it's ok for somebody to have a different opinion than you :) (I'm gonna get blasted for that one) I have 2 things to say:
1) Way to go Hugh! I embrace the death of Branding — it is outdated and overrated and I will dance on it’s grave happily
2) As evidenced by all the comments from the loyal Ipod users — when somebody really loves a brand they get defensive — and take themselves WAY to seriously. Mellow out guys! it’s ok for somebody to have a different opinion than you :) (I’m gonna get blasted for that one)

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