The great drive in the industrial world over the past 100 years has been a drive for consistency. Colt's serial manufacturing, Ford's assembly line, McDonald's burgers have all thrived because they produce products that are the polar opposite of mercurial.
They are invariable.
In an effort to achieve invariability processes, checks and double checks have been instituted and formalized. Assumptions have been made that such-and-such configuration satisfies the largest percentage of the population at the lowest possible cost.
That's how business is done: consistent is more important than good.
We see this perhaps most overtly in the movie industry. They'd rather bet $300 million on "Spiderman72" starring Gilbert Gottfried than $3 million on something by Tony Kaye.
And I think it's what's afflicted our business as well.
We have been consistencyized.
We are as bland as processed cheese food.
And that makes the most people happy at the lowest cost.
Hi George. Long time reader, first time poster. You've been ON since your bout of ill. Solid stuff. On an unrelated topic, do you know Alan Cohen from Ogilvy and Mather? Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Anonymous. I thought since I've been sick I can't wrote anymore.
ReplyDeleteI don't know know Alan.
Should I?