I don’t trust salesmen. Their livelihood depends on me buying something, so naturally they’re going to want to sell me something, and in many cases something I don’t need or want.
You know who else are salesmen? Everyone on WallStreet. First they sell you what they want you to buy, but then they sell you what they want you to sell. Tricky buggers!
Just yesterday I heard my first Christian Financial Adviser ad on the radio. I had no idea that God wanted me to diversify in these tough economical times, but apparently he does. God’s got a whole slew of salesmen working for him and they don’t just work on Sundays.
You know who else are salesmen? Everyone in finance. Everyone in media, TV, radio, every You Tuber, Influencer, and dude/dudette with a Patreon account. Every CEO of every company; Barra, Farley, Diess before he lost his job, Bezos, Zuckerburg, and let’s not forget our favorite Trevor Milton. Sandy Munro is a salesman, Rob, Gali, SMR, Chicken, Troy, the list is endless.
Heck, my neighbor’s a salesman according to the for sale sign in the window of his 1980 something pickup at the end of his driveway, but realistically there’s just not much foot traffic up on The Mountain so that sucker will likely sit there for another 20 years. Nature is doing a good job of reclaiming it. The pine growing up through the passenger side is 6” in diameter now.
My favorite salesman is one that acknowledges my presence when I walk into an establishment and then ***** ***, but not too much in case I have a question. If I do have a question, I just want the truth. If that takes more than a single, simple sentence (basically three words or less ie., See Spot run) I walk, even if I really want the item. I’ll sacrifice for a teaching moment then drive to the next town and try again. Truth.
Mostly, I’ve already done my research before I buy so don’t need a salesman. A lot of times I know more than the salesman about the product I want. There’s a lot of nuance in underwear and snowblowers and I’d rather learn in the comfort of my home. Basically, it really boils down to the product needing to sell itself to get me to buy. Nothing more annoying than your underwear crawling up your butt while blowing snow. It’s an hour long process getting things righted.
What’s my point besides I don’t trust salesmen? Patience. I’m getting to it.
Your *profession* is as a salesman and you feel there are certain rules to abide by within that profession. (I also think rules should be viewed more like loose guidelines and that many times the rules are made to be broken, but that’s a different post.) However, we’re all salesmen in one form or another and we don’t abide by the rules of the trade in executing our sale - including Elon Musk.
You just tried to sell us a story in your post that Elon is a *professional* salesman, therefore he must follow the Salesmen’s Handbook Of Rules And Conduct or risk losing customers. He is not, does not consciously try to be, and as you’ve clearly argued he actually sucks at it.
What he does try to sell us is a personal narrative of what mankind needs to do to live long and prosper based on what he sees happening and that requires him to break every rule that’s ever existed to get us to buy it. That is a big distinction for me. Why? In no particular order: Money honesty. Unabashed openness. Thinking out loud. Willingness to make mistakes and be wrong. Stand in the face of fire. Unwavering love for mankind. I trust Elon for being/doing all those things and many more, none of which are deemed positive traits in a professional salesmen.
I understand from your professional salesman’s view he’s risked and continues to risk losing customers of his products and has lost customers. I’m telling you, there is no other way than to bash us all upside the head. We will not transition if he coddles us, holds our hands, or pussy foots around. He’s going to have to drag us kicking and screaming. A lost customer to Tesla because someone got their undies in a wad over a political opinion of 140 characters or less will be a customer for Rivian, or Lucid, or BYD, whomever manages to survive - and that’s okay. IT’S OKAY. How many times people have confidently announced Tesla can’t do it all, to turn around and complain because Tesla lost a customer in their third cousin twice removed through marriage is absurd, illogical, mushy brain stuff.
It’s okay. Direct those family and friends and neighbors and colleagues to another EV, to another EV stock. Stop complaining about Elon Musk and what he’s doing or not doing to your satisfaction.
Go be a salesman for human kind!
