The first thing any salesman learns is that people buy from people. The first thing a marketer learns is that people love stories - especially a hero's tale.
Therefore, it’s only natural that online marketers – the nefarious lovechild of both – spawned a new religion, the cult of personality.
I say it’s a religion because it is the core doctrine of any so called marketing guru or expert.
It’s Commandments Are;
- Thou will have many gods…until you fill every niche and fringe interest.
- Thou shall make idols of absolutely anybody who can speak into a camera
- Thou shall covet, and gloat
- Thou shall sow desire and envy within thy neighbour
That’s the plain no BS version anyway.
Sure, they will spice it up and throw in buzz words to convince you it’s all about being relatable, inspirational, human etc.
What Is Strips Down To.
Subconsciously people know they are not living their life’s purpose. But consciously, the minds of sheeple are so atrophied they don’t know what their true potential and purpose is. They just know they are meant for ‘more’.
Their conscious mind is ripe for hacking by anyone who can fill that void. It’s an irresistible hook that embeds itself deeply.
(take this guy for example, Tai Lopez)
Here is the interesting part.
Sections of your brain will react the same whether you smile, or someone else smiles. You get a bit of a happy neurochemical hit either way.
So to some degree, by following these people you are fooling part of yourself into thinking you are a happier, more complete person - your living vicariously through the persona they project.
Next, followers will start modelling their own behaviour on their hero to enforce the effect.
They copy what their said hero says or does.
The learning, empathy and reward centres in their brain will start lighting up like fireworks
New patterns will form and become enforced.
And then, all of a sudden you have thousands of people instragraming #fitspo and #hussle quotes.
Do We Need Heros?
I don’t know. Personally, I don’t quite buy it. But then again, I have been a sucker more than once so I have no high horse to stand on.
However, a lot of what these so called modern day heros say is just common sense.
I’s generally about showing up, doing your best and not giving a damn about other people’s negative opinions.
I reckon if people shut themselves off from media, programming, consumerism, other people for long enough and did some soul searching they’d find all the answers they need.
The problem is, that’s exactly what these leading personalities will distract you from. They will convince you that you need Y in order to have X - and you will believe them.
What Do I Know?
Not much apparently if you ask any of those who fit the bill. But, then again what do they really know?
They've still got problems, enemies, frustrations, self-limitations just like the rest of us.
All I know is that there are many paths to happiness, and I'm going to trust my intuition to help me find mine. ...my own way.
PS. As an after thought I think rather than following individuals and focusing on building ourselves, we should be engaging with communities and focusing on improving our shared experience of this world.