click link to LISTEN to REPLAYSOCIAL MEDIA press conference
(replay from Wednesday, March 20th, 2009)
Perhaps I could have more adequately warned Austin's mayorial candidate Lee Leffingwell who I am. However, when ANY political candidate claims s/he is for the people, then I hold it shouldn't matter who I am, or who anybody is. Any candidate running on the platform of "In it for you!" is taking on a platform of being a people's candidate. While America is the only 1st world country without a People's Party we will be better served by avoiding the sociopath Lee Leffingwell.
Am I an extremist for calling a politician a sociopath? Perhaps. A member of Lee's party said I
sounded like an extremist when I asked Lee what pragmatic strategic advantage he saw in alienating idealists like me. When he skirted the issue, I said I felt disrespected. I hold that most humanists might consider apologizing for somebody feeling disrespected. So it goes. Obvious to me is that Lee Leffingwell is not a humanist. I therefor suggest he is inappropriately co-opting the good will of a People's Platform. I happen to call people who exploit good-will without respect sociopaths. I am happy to debate this In Public.My position on ecology is clearly detailed hear. Give me 45 minutes and I'll explain what I see as required to save your planet. In the mean time my personal safety is of paramount importance to me and my incipient wife (i'm getting married 10/10/10).
Why am I compelled to rake a loser like Lee Leffingwell over the coals? Because it is dangerous for me to be labeled an extremist. When it is said that I sound like an extremist at a candidate's party and he nods and continues that candidate is dangerous to me personally. I don't want to be in jail, without bail, labeled as a dangerous extremist.
That's how social media has saved my life before, honest. I can tell you the story if you must hear that story. Here's my assessment of Lee Leffingwell...
Leffingwell = Laughingstock
I happen to agree with Rev. Bob Dobbs that the two greatest misconceptions of the 20th Century is that politicians aren't that smart and that they mean well. Yes, there are good apples in polotics and Lee Laughingstock is not one of them.There are litigious ramifications to me being labeled an extremist. I ask Jesus what I should do in terms of turning the other cheek. What I hear in my head is that standing by my truth and standing up for what I hold to be true is the backbone required. Some may see my political posts like this that are scattered aROUND the Internet as a form of brand subversion that they have trouble comprehending. My work is not for the intellectually squeamish.
If you want to hear how I am optimistic that Internet Marketing is saving your planet, for real, then please listen hear http://MagicWithoutCards.com
5 comments:
Jake, on consistency...
Mark is gently nudging me to make progress on my essay in response to your wonderful question.
The ways that I have been consistent over the last 8 years allow me to write emails like the one below which makes ripples.
Consistency = Integrity = Power
And...
People know what they like because
they like what they already know.
Peace, Love & Drinkable Water,
Ben
#CDW
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ben Mack
Date: Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Subject: courtesy FYI...
To: info@austinleadership.com
Cc: Michael Young
To whom it may concern,
I would like a formal written apology from Lee for his nodding
when a woman yesterday framed my perspective as that of an
extremist.
A politician agreeing that i might be seen as an extremist might
have future litigious consequences to me.
I detail my perspective in a thread that starts here http://twitter.com/BenMack/statuses/1337461957
Please be advised I have done this before and I charge folks
for my lawyer's time and services when I am required to use to him
beyond my costs of CC'ing Michael Young on an initial email.
You don't want me focusing my social media prowess against your
efforts. And, if I don't receive a PDF of a signed retraction with 48 hours I will hold a press conference at SXSW.
Respectfully,
Ben
Mr. Laughingstock,
Thank you for your tardy apology and your lack of compliance to my
request.
First off, judgment is spelled with only one "e". Of the 223 that have visited my post this morning nobody has yet commented. The comments will come.
Tonight at #SXSW be distributing a "call for comments" press release announcing my incipient press conference.
Two can play the name labeling game. How do you like me as a dance
partner so far?
I will certainly include your note at my press conference in about
46 hours.
If i were your strategist, I would suggest you honor my request in my previous email and stated in public
over here... htttp://LeeLAUGHINGSTOCK.com
Ever heard of WIRED magazine? Ever Googled me? Ever read any of my books like Poker Without Cards.
There are litigious implications to a politician nodding in agreement that my position is that of an extremist.
Please make your future communications in public please. It cost me money to have a virtual assistant read my direct emails, not to mention my cost with Mark Horn, and you don't want to run up a tab with me.
Thank you for your considerations.
Sincerely,
Ben
On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 3:04 PM, Lee Leffingwell lee.leff@gmail.com wrote:
Ben -
I received your email.
Thank you for attending our campaign event yesterday.
I certainly did not intend to convey any negative judgement about you or your perspective.
If you felt disrespected in any way, it was unintentional, and I apologize.
Sincerely,
Lee Leffingwell
--
So, do you...
THINK TWO PRODUCTS AHEAD?
Kindly,
Ben
think=>Dr. Ben Mack
DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL
to anybody intellectually squeamish.
"You never change the existing reality by
fighting it. Instead, create a new model that
makes the old one obsolete."
-- R. Buckminster Fuller
Branding ==> http://ThinkTwoProductsAhead.com
Ben,
Interesting that someone like Mr. Leffingwell can pass judgment so quickly when they have such a difficult time playing the public opinion game the rest of the time.
Typically, a politician would have taken a few minutes to respond by having one of his lackeys call CNN and have them poll their audience to see what the public opinion is before making a nod or shrug.
Judging from the ensuing private attempt at apology, his people must have finally done the requisite polling and found that it was not a good thing to label you as an extremist, but it does appear that they did not advise him very well. He should have been on the local media with a public apology immediately.
Even our president doesn't realize how powerful social media can be, because he got himself elected using social media, then promptly turned his back on the following he had built up in the social media outlets. Then again, he appears to have turned his back on the campaign promises he spent a lot of time crafting...
"You shouldn't waste a good crisis... unless you see a bigger one looming over the horizon!" Anonymous Political Advisor
Keep fighting the good fight, Ben!
Micheal
You, sir, are a moron. I'm surprised anybody you've lambasted in public has even dignified this drivel with a response, but I guess Lee's just a nice guy. I'm going to go ahead and say what others are thinking but are too polite to put in print:
1. Promoting your own "social media prowess" sounds absurd, given that you have a website that looks to be circa 1998: http://www.thinktwoproductsahead.com/go.html
2. A press conference during SXSW? Hahaha, that would get you the least coverage ever. I'm sure everyone in the ATX (and all the local media!) would drop everything they were doing and skip the 1,900 bands playing, all the celebrities in town, and all the parties (with free booze!) to go hear a press conference about some self-proclaimed marketer they've never heard of who got his panties rumpled over a vague head nod from a local city councilman.
3. You've got a lot of nerve to call someone out about spelling (of a commonly misspelled word, at that) when you don't know the difference between "hear" and "here," how to use question marks and periods, and proper use of the word "incipient."
Who is really the laughingstock, folks?
Melissa T. I am impressed at your willingness to share your ideas in public.
Let's say you are 100% Absolutely correct... I am a moron, and 1) I am a shameless self-promoter and 2) I did hold the least attended press conference of all of SXSW, and 3) yes I have a lot of nerve.
You are absolutely correct.
Calling me a moron, did not feel friendly.
1) I posted in public the email I sent Lee Leffingwell that appears to me as a laughingstock. I'm a marketer. Google me. I've won a couple awards, written a couple books and I'm accustomed to ineffective people being allergic to marketing.
I am a marketer. I told that to Lee. When I asked Lee what the pragmatic advantage to alienating an idealist like me, a man who introduced himself to Lee as a marketer... He chose to be disrespectful and not answer a direct question. This is a common tactic of politicians. So it goes.
2) In social media and with replay pages... I'm more concerned with The Long Tail. Yes, 14 people attended my live call.
Ms. T., Do you know how many people have listened since? That audience hadn't dawned on you. Seriously. Don't fake it now because you wouldn't have made your loosey-goosey argument had you seen how social media's reach aggregates and grows. This saddens me that you don't know media better. On Twitter I suggested a video for you on fundraising... http://TELLMANkind.com
3) yes I have a lot of nerve.
I hold we need more citizens with more nerve so we have fewer laughingstocks and wusses in office.
Who else is tired of NOBODY SPEAKING OUT against sold-out politicians or ones that can tell the difference between their ego and a hole in the ground.
QUESTION... what kind of strategist allows his candidate to speak without him/her being there, without recording the presentation for review and archive? I'll tell you... an overpaid amateur.
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