I had an interesting revelation recently over dinner with a good friend of mine. We are sitting at this Asian restaurant in downtown Vienna, going down the list from the IAEA ball, the battle of the sexes , differences between Northamerican and European men and we eventually boil it down to one common denominator. Not what you might have assumed at first thought, but rather…Television.
While I elaborate on the differences between men and women, he interrupts my soliloquy and explains the root of it all.
I am gripped, continue to listen attentively and see the puzzle pieces perfectly aligning in my head.
This is it? You are right, it is simple, down to the point and refreshingly true.
He tells me that men are basically like a TV production company and there are two kinds or often they embody both types in one edition.
It is basically like this, as a guy you manufacture countless TV sets, then you have the choice and you will either seek the Walmart or the small mom-and-pop shop distribution.
Some men will prefer one over the other, but we also arrive at the conclusion that most will do business both ways, or at least they like to entertain the idea.
While option A is quick and efficient, you walk in and out, and the numbers soar, option B requires more work, ongoing customer relations and personal service options.
Obviously both venues have advantages and disadvantages, and once again the eternal debate of quantity over quality surfaces (while I still believe one does not necessarily exclude the other).
So in his eyes men are the manufacturer trying to find the subjectively most effective distribution venue for their produced goods.
While he elaborately lays out the details of his theory in front of me, my mind begins to fill in the blanks, to retrace and adjust. And wham, all of a sudden it is like being transported to this nirwana-like state of complete awareness. Something I always intuitively felt is pointed out in an almost equational manner, very simple and at the core of the subject matter.
Apparently it is just as simple as that, it is all about meeting the numbers, a quick, effective, cheap labor oriented approach when it comes to chasing the Other, to name it in Beauvoiresque terms, or alternatively, making a growth oriented investment involving careful research, planning and execution, or the small-scale shop around the corner.
Somenone has recently supported this hypothesis, explaing his competing tendencies to ship as many goods as possible or invest in customer relations, labeling me as the exclusive mom-and-pop-shop around the corner. While feeling flattered on the one hand I can’t avoid asking myself the inevitable question… The tailor made suit will encourage many appreciative looks, and most people will consider it an investment for years, yet most people will still opt for the massproduced version from the rack…not as comfortable and well fitting, not as flashy, less durable, but good enough at a quick first look. While Walmart’s spread is inexorably continued, a shimmer of hope remains that good taste and style will never go out of fashion…
