--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Brigante" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > There's the story, like many others, of > > Maharishi being shown VCRs years ago > > to determine a standard for the Movement > > to use. He drifted from the business > > discussion when he asked to have the inner > > mechanics the VCR explained to him, in > > minute detail. After endless questions, he > > pointed out ways in which the machinery > > could be improved that delighted the > > engineers. > > > > That's a fascinating story, just not true. MMY did indeed look at the > innards of a VCR, and made the highly technical comment, "too > complicated," which inspired some TMers to try to do a less > complicated VCR, with zero results. >
That's the way I heard it. It's safe to say that the real story differs from both of out versions. > > > Another story--a year or so ago, he had > > Hagelin tell him in detail what would > > happen in a nuclear explosion, wanting > > to know far more about it than you, I, or > > anyone we've ever met would be able to > > stomach. He wanted to understand exactly > > what the nuclear threat really meant and > > expected an unvarnished picture of their > > horror. > > > > Fine, then let Hagelin bring in a consultant who has some good ideas > about marketing TM and he can listen to that in detail. That won't > happen because Haglelin is only interested in making John-boy look > important. Kaplan tried just that regarding a national advertising campaign. > > > > > > > > > > > > How long can a man remain utterly naive > > > > and innocent about the ways of the world? > > > > After all, he's extremely intelligent and about > > > > the quickest study around. > > > > > > > > > > Maybe he should learn how to pronounce English by American > standards > > > too? Or play the piano, or learn how to program a computer? > > > > I don't think those things interest him, but > > he has developed an understanding of business > > principles, particularly branding, that would be > > the envy of any Harvard MBA, . > > > > That's just ludricous, TM has no market identity -- when people hear > about some TM research, it is instantly genericized into the benefits > of generic meditation. He's lousy at marketing, but superb at creating a brand identity. I just finished an MBA and can see that Maharishi's sense of branding is more sophisticated than just about anyone else in American business we were exposed to in hundreds of case studies. Walt Disney is one of the only people I can think of who comes close. Disney had the additional advantage of understanding marketing. "Brand" is a claim of distinction. Within this claim lies the promise that you make to uphold that distinction. Without distinction, price is the only measurement of value for a product or service. "Branding" describes the tactics used to communicate the brand promise through consistent use of color, graphics and messaging. Maharishi's brand and branding is extraordinarily consistent, vigorous, and sophisticated. The generalized perception of that brand among the populace is due to Maharishi's near-total failure to market his brand effectively, as you've written about extensively. > > > Let me ask this. Is your world view falsifiable? > > Is there any imaginable real-world event, > > such as an action on the part of Maharishi, > > John, Bevan, or any of the Clowns in > > Crowns, that could force you to change your > > mind about your assumptions? > > > > This is the same question I put, over and over, > > a few years back to a local perennial Libertarian > > candidate with a personality and behavior > > pattern almost exactly like yours. He refused > > to acknowledge my question. It's the only > > question I ever saw him avoid, after following > > three of his campaigns. > > > > The healthy mind challenges its own assumptions. > > I would certainly welcome any actual challenge, but nothing in the > stale ruminations you present is worth more than few words of > dismissal. Pretty much the same response I got from the Libertarian, a refusal to acknowledge the question I posed. Nonetheless, I appreciate even the few words of dismissal with which you've awarded my tiresome rhetoric. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
