This blog is temporarily dormant while I complete my book, but it should return to life by the end April 07. Since starting the site over a year ago, the novelty of Blogging does seem to have worn thin, clogged up as they are by anonymous angry letters and porn spam. To that end, I'll be building a full reference website in the run up to the book release in September 07, which should be infinitely more useful and entertaining.
8 Comments:
I've read every word of your blog today, and every comment as well. I'm fairly certain I "get it" (indeed, I wanted to punch my monitor every time I saw another hysterical, anonymous message pleading with you to "PLEEEAAASE DONATE IT TO CHARITY!!! FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY!!!"). Still, I'm left feeling that your goal of going completely "brand free" is just plain dumb. It's illogical. Purchasing anything based on brand name is equally dumb and illogical, but there is a realistic middle ground, where logic reigns supreme -- this is where I exist and consume, and I honestly believe that this is where you will ultimately settle as well, for it is the most sane way to live in today's world.
I make my purchases based purely on quality/performance/value. If Duracell batteries last longer than Energizer or store-brand, and do it at a comparable price point, I buy Duracell. I research this beforehand. Status has zero influence on my decision. The only valid criteria for me are quality/performance/value. There are even people/groups who do this research for us, such as Consumer Reports. If you feel they can't be trusted, there are plenty of unaffiliated watchdog groups online, who pit Brand ABC against Brand XYZ and spit out the cold hard facts for cold hard consumers like myself. I make ample use of such information. If you're still leery, ask your friends (well, no offense, but perhaps not your friends...maybe you could ask your mechanic, or someone less metrosexual than your usual crowd).
When making a choice between two items, if the brand name comes to mind, you need to step back a moment. If a store-brand item shows a bit less quality/performance than a name-brand, but is still acceptable, the deciding factor should be price -- and store-brand always wins. In many cases, it literally comes down to simple math: Consumer watchdog says brand ABC will last 5 years, while brand XYZ will last 6. XYZ, right? But wait, ABC costs $50, XYZ costs $75 -- $10/yr vs $12.50/yr -- hmm, OK, ABC it is! Aha! But ABC has maintenance costs of $2/yr, while XYZ has none...now we're only 50 cents away in yearly cost...does XYZ offer anything worth that 50 cents? Some little extra performance perhaps? You get the point: no loyalties, no guilt, no angst...just a logical purchase based on cold hard facts. Done and done.
As you've mentioned in your blog, higher price does not equal higher quality in the vast majority of cases. So, there is little chance I will purchase a "designer brand," because there will almost certainly be a product of equal quality/performance for a better value. When this is not the case, e.g. a 200MPH sports car, I'm saved by the fact that I cannot afford such a thing anyway. Also, there are other areas of performance where such a car would fall short, e.g. efficiency. My priorities are therefore immediately shifted from "I want a 200MPH sports car," to "I want a reliable, safe, economical car with high resale value." And I'm suddenly back among the sane, with numerous makes/models to choose from based on those criteria. It might be Chevy this time, and maybe Ford the next, and even, God forbid, a Japanese make the next. I'm a New Englander, but I've always loved Missouri's motto: "Show Me." Show me the goods, impress me with quality/performance/value, or I'm moving on. I may love you today, but if someone else can treat me better and for less, I'll drop you like a hot potato tomorrow, baby!
I think if you are filthy stinking rich, there is a very real risk of being sucked into the role of "filthy stinking rich guy." For the rest of us, there's honestly no reason to even consider the "top brands," because a low-brow brand will invariably do the same thing for less, and do it just as well. I'm not trying to tell you how to think, but I dare say it would make a lot more sense, and would be a lot less stressful for you and yours, if you took this approach. I find no shame in buying a brand which is touted as "the best" (e.g., Duracell), if in fact they really are, and they're priced competitively.
If brands hold no place of value in your life, how can you place the value of your life in brands?
Forgive my wordiness, but hey, I did read your entire blog. :-)
Good luck in the future.
I've been seeing, in the last weeks, your works and I've been searching a way to communicate with you! I'm really sorry for this comment, that is not a comment...but an ask...better, a request! So, I've been studying one of your projects (Sleazenation) and I'm really enthusiastic about it. Can you send me some information about the history and the work that sleazenation made??
thank you Neil!
friendly
catarina
Sorry to hear you're abandoning the realm of dialogue. I can certainly sympathize with the porn spam problem, but you shouldn't be quite so uncomfortable with dissent. You've taken a position that's at odds with how most people live, one that is judgmental of the rest of us by inference, and one that is highly debateworthy. I was disappointed that you weren't willing to take me on with respect to my 'exercise your franchise because brands force accountability' argument. The irony is that there's a pretty good chance I'll be asked to review your book. I'd love to have been able to say that there was an engaged and lively mind behind it. That's how to be provocative. The problem with a take it or leave it position is that it's pretty easy for most people to just leave it. Anyway, good luck with the project, and you can count me in for a copy.
I wish if i can share my Brand Directory with you.
Regards
Jay
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Hey buddy! Nice blog that you maintain here.. I just chanced upon your blog surfing the blogosphere. I was thinking.. you could try out some interesting widgets on your page and spice it up with some great pictures. E.g try out the poster widget on http://www.widgetmate.com with your relevant keywords. It has some of the best images i have ever seen.
Afternoon. I'm going on holiday soon for my 30th bday and would really like a copy of Bonfire for my holiday reading. Any chance I could buy a copy off you earlier? I leave on 2nd September so will miss the publishing date :)
Thanks
lorraine.liyanage@experiment1.co.uk
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