Bold War 2020

by Redemption

  "We need to extricate ourselves from stereotyped thinking and 'guide' the public into spending time and effort (and not much of their money for a change) on things which are in the best interests of themselves and society. We are practised at ways to entice and persuade with the full gamut of psychological and emotional tools, both conscious and unconscious. So we'll be using the same techniques as before, but for a result of positive social value. It's a bit radical though for the advertising industry and may be seen as dangerous if customers become more discerning and less materialistic."

  "Great," said Rick, turning to Rose. "The third activity is to write a Book."

  "Yes, Rick's suggestion could have a lot of merit," said Rose. "People tend to be sceptical and dismissive about new ideas, but when they pick up a novel they suspend judgement and allow all sorts of thoughts into their head - witness science fiction. If we could put what we've been talking about into a novel, make an interesting story of it, add a dash of mystery, suspense and maybe intrigue, it could be a good read on an appealing topic, able to penetrate into all corners of society and influence readers to consider its ideas. And act on them."

  Rose: "But it won't be easy. Books can be killed at birth by critics' criticism. And critics dine on literary merit. I don't see any literary geniuses among us, so we have a problem.

  "Also, reviewers are particularly susceptible to 'media Sed'. If the subject is vaguely related to 'good' it gets downgraded. (I think of my rottweiler sensing 'weakness' and going for the jugular.) And if the book is simple and easy to understand by the majority, which I want it to be, that's another black mark in their book.

  "We need to take care, I suggest, for our language and methods not to sound like they are from an extreme religion or dubious money-making scheme. We want to make abundantly clear our motives and good intentions so as to avoid unnecessary friction. Part of your task in advertising, Yvonne?

  "Generally speaking, I'm not trying to be a wet rag about the book; I think it's a good idea, but we need to know what we're up against."

  Area 2: Selecting participants.

  "Thank you Rose," said Rick. "That will need careful attention. Moving on to the second area of approach and assuming we can generate enough interest to undertake Smiles, we need to be selective. Why? Because we want good early results to foster rapid growth of the movement.

  "We need to give Smiles first to those who will most easily reach the required level and those most likely to influence others. The former category includes those who don't have fixed, closed or negative perceptions, such as the young, and those who are flexible, open-minded and positive in outlook. In the latter category are the outgoing personalities who are in established networks or who can otherwise exert influence. The more we can 'teach teachers' the more we can magnify our efforts. We don't want negative, disaffected or lazy participants in the early days - time enough for them later. A suggested catch-cry: 'We will help all those who want to help themselves'.

  "Business will be a fertile early field to till. They will be quick to see financial returns from improved staff performance and participate accordingly."

  Kent knew his divisional managers would jump at the chance once they had a whiff of the enhanced creativity, energy and management abilities of their staff. 'Like betting on yesterday's race,' he could hear them saying.

  Rick added "I suggest we look at putting parts of Smiles on to interactive compact disc (ICD), after we are fully skilled at presenting it of course, so that it will be more flexible with greater outreach and depth."

  Area 3: Presentation of courses.

  Rick: "Ed and Pip have something to say on this."

  Ed: "In the early days when everything is new we believe the seminar format is best. That's because good results require active participation on the part of learners, and it needs to be intensive rather than drawn-out. Interaction with like-minded people is important, as is mutual support, shared experiences and a common language.

  "Least resources would be required if we were to run courses through the education system. Some of their teachers and lecturers would be suitable for training, and they have premises and infrastructure for this sort of thing. However we believe it would be slow and not very effective. They will take a lot of convincing- until it is proven and there is a great demand. Then they will be at the head of the line saying it's their natural area of operation (they are the experts, after all) and demanding they be funded and have control of it. Besides that being the long way round, we don't believe they would do justice to it."

  =

  Andrew is hurt by the remarks about education and, with Christiana looking on, humiliated. For no particular reason he fears she may be reflecting on a definition, from his boyhood days, of an expert as 'ex' - unknown quantity, and 'spurt' - drip under pressure. This self-flagellation must stop, he tells himself.

  ~

  Ed: "Our recommended procedure is to set up specific institutes. They will run parallel to educational establishments that want to give it a go. Friendly competition as it were. We don't want educators to feel excluded, but neither do we want them limiting the pace and standards."

  Pip: "For want of a better name, why don't we call our new bodies, for the moment, the Triple 'A' Institutes (AAA) - Attitude, Action, Achievement. Their role will be to conduct Smiles programs, coordinate follow-up and train Eductors. Programs will be aimed at industry personnel paying full fees, and offered to students and the public on an interesting and hopefully attractive financial basis, termed F(r)ee, devised by Yvonne and Guy."

  V

  D: Financial Basis:

  Yvonne: "Yes, back on the subject of attracting attention and participants, Guy and I discussed a few of the psychological factors. Some of the public and students will pay up-front, but in the early days many will be reluctant to spend money on something they don't know. It's new and 'different'. It may not work and they will be uncertain about the promoters.

  "But what if they were given a choice, an option? I mean, they are happy, for example, for a routine thing such as a car service to go to a provider who from experience gives good work at a fair price. But for unknown, untried things - people will be uncertain and generally decline, if not run in the opposite direction. Society is full of painted rosy pictures that turn out to be dismal failures."

  Guy: "So, would it help, I asked, if we offered a 'guarantee'? They would only have to pay if it worked and if it was of benefit to them. Yvonne agreed this would be attractive and we took it further. They would only pay when it was of benefit to them, and then only a proportion of the extra money they earned.

  "For example if a person earned an extra thousand pounds per year (after tax and above his/her previous earnings, or above national average earnings if previously unemployed) he might pay, say, ten percent of the extra over a period, up to a total of, say, three hundred pounds. People who wished to pay up-front could pay the standard fee, in this example, two hundred pounds."

  Yvonne: "In this way people need pay nothing if it is of no value to them, and rather more than the up-front fee if it is. It removes risk. It demonstrates confidence in our product."

  Guy: "And because it's a new concept we have a word for it. It is in fact a fee based on results. If it doesn't work th

  ere is no fee. If it does work there will be no net cost to the individual because he/she only pays for it out of extra earnings that wouldn't otherwise have been made - therefore it is effectively free. So let's call it F(r)ee - fee based on results." He wrote it on the white board.

  Kent: "Two problems. A year ago I would have been out of my mind to even consider a guarantee / pay later proposition like this. We could blow a lot of money."

  Guy; "Depends on our degree of confidence in Smiles. Pip and Ed say it's very high."

  Ed: "If we can be selective in the initial participants - high nineties per cent. What's the other problem?"

  Kent: "F(r)ee is an awkward word."

  Rose: "Agreed, but because
we are introducing a new term to get a message across, that awkwardness can be an advantage. It's distinctiveness draws attention and makes the reader think."

  Kent: "What about in conversation where they can't see the word?"

  Rose: "We, who make the rules here, pronounce it differently. Perhaps with added emphasis on the 'r'."

  Guy: "Once the value of Smiles is evident there will be less need to use F(r)ee, probably only for those who can't afford the up-front fee."

  Yvonne: "Such as the poor and unemployed. Social equity at work. F(r)ee will be a large step towards eliminating disadvantage, poverty, the 'them-us' divide (and providing improved access, equalising opportunities, raising ceilings). We expect government agencies concerned with unemployment, fighting crime, and health and welfare will develop a strong interest in, and then benefit from, the outcomes of Smiles."

  =

  Ed: "Continuing with the program, Smiles will be most effective as a live-in course, but cost more. We suggest running live-in and day courses in parallel and monitor results. ICD's used in conjunction with occasional face-to-face groups will be an efficient combination down the track. Selected 'graduates' after further training and experience will make effective Eductors. The whole Smiles program will need to be flexible and constantly reviewed and updated as we proceed."

  "Your 'marketing' and presentation of courses is good, Rick," said Kent, "and F(r)ee will help, but how do we make it 'stick'?"

  V

  Area 4: Follow-up.

  Rick: "Yes, making it stick - Pip and Ed again."

  Ed: "Smiles, as I've said, will have a strong component of 'participation'. Experiential learning is vital to get depth into Smiles. It is equally important to have early reinforcement through practising Smiles, whether in the workplace, in study or in general living. Interacting with and feedback from others propagates outwards and strengthens inwards."

  Pip: "We can use the Internet and Woww programs in several ways. Participants will receive mutual support during and after the course through communicating regularly over the Net with mentors (earlier graduates) and each other. Latest news and advanced aspects of Smiles can be downloaded, thoughts and suggestions exchanged. This will be especially valuable in the early days when numbers are thin on the ground."

  Ed: "As numbers build up a critical mass will be reached. It won't be all down-hill after that, but there will be less resistance as the logic and evident value of Smiles silences the opposition and appeals to the majority."

  =

  Kent: "So, the plan in four areas is defined. Yvonne, I want you to run out figures on possible costs and savings under different scenarios, starting with operations in UK for individual, corporate and government programs, and moving to other countries as soon as we have positive feedback on results. The costs could be very high, and I am prepared to cover them, but I have an idea, generated from when Raj first started treating me, and want to investigate supplementary sources of funding, particularly from government. Coordinate with Xena who also has figures.

  "Regarding the overall plan, you have framed it well Rick. I like the AAA name and its connotations. So much so we should use it for our name as well - the AAA Team. Are there any additions or comments to what Rick has said?"

  V

  D: Comments on Project Plan:

  Yvonne: "Yes. I'm happy to be part of the AAA Team. For me it could also stand for 'Artesian Abilities Actualised'. Regarding 'the Book', obviously it won't be effective unless it is bought, read and understood. From my experience it will need at least one of three things.

  "Firstly, acclaim by the critics will ensure some sales, but they like books written in fine literary style - as Rose said. While we are basically writing for the readers, we can't afford to ignore the critics. Do we have to choose between 'unreadable journalism and unread literature'?(27) Ideally, we want to be readable and read, but better to be easily readable than unread by the masses.

  "Secondly, an alternative is to have a big-name celebrity as co-author to help sales."

  "It won't work unless we can find one who really believes in what we're doing," said Kent. "But we'll look into those things. What's the third alternative?"

  "Write a real page-turner that will spread by publicity and word-of-mouth," said Yvonne. "Simple writing and easy reading on a complex subject. Strong points, memorable, instructive, inspirational. No easy task and I doubt we have an author with those capabilities round the table."

  "We'll think about how we can come up with the right sort of book, because it's important," said Kent impatiently. "As far as I'm concerned the book will be for readers and not for critics. I want results, not raving reviews. There are thousands of books printed every year that are 'arty', or have 'high literary merit', or happen to be in fashion. Any 'good' they might do the world is peripheral to the yawning vacuum of things that aren't being done for mankind. Most books, I have heard, are only 'more of the same', with subtle variations or refinements of what's gone before.

  "The judgement I look for is not how it compares with other books, or authors, or writing styles, it is to what extent readers enjoy and have cause for thought and are motivated to find out more about themselves and apply their new knowledge.

  "This book will be new in content and presentation, so as far as I'm concerned it might as well be new in the non-literary sense, in being easily readable, understandable, down-to-earth and useful. If by some chance the critics like it that will be a bonus, but it won't be the object of my efforts."

  Rose: "If it's popular with the populace it will be unpopular with the popular critics. And publishers, they need to be confident of success - not easy with a 'new' book like this. How many new types of books have you seen published in your lifetime? And is it fiction, speculative fiction, suppositional fiction, non-fiction, 'fraction', futuristic? I suggest we call it 'Pipe" fiction, meaning:

  Prospect - as in search, and future

  Immanent - as in naturally present, inherent

  Prescriptive - setting out, prescribing

  Eduction - bring out, develop from latency."

  Kent: "So how do we get a publisher to take it on, rather than me self-publish and market it?"

  Rose: "Not easy. It's too 'different'. Crosses too many genre boundaries and is thereby not readily classifiable in their profiles. And it has lists and tables."

  Kent:" Maybe so, but if publishers don't adjust their guidelines, then sales will just continue their present downward trend. The publishing 'kitchen' is dishing up light-weight meals (page-turners and crime), fairy floss (Mills and Boon), and lessening amounts of whipped cream (literary works for which the small market is losing its taste). Non fiction has a little more substance but not a lot of substance."

  Rose: "Yes, their cry is 'That's what people want, because they're buying it.' Rather like TV programs - 'Must be OK because people are watching them. They're missing the point in both cases - they read or watch because that's all that is available. As well, books are losing out to TV (fast food) and computer / video games / DVD's (addictive substances). An encouraging avenue to try will be e-publishing."

  Pip: " As I see it, Bold War will offer the public something they can identify with - understanding of themselves, avenues for participation and improvement, hope for a better world. For the receptive publisher its newness can become an outstanding opportunity rather than trying to make something out of the average manuscript - mundane and problematic. Full three course nourishing meals from the publishing kitchen. A combination of appetisers, main course and sweets with self-selection from a wide menu."

  Rose:, with a glance at Pip: "It has been said 'The capacity to continue to speak to new generations is the only sure test of literary greatness.'(28) I believe we will be speaking to new generations in a way that has seldom been done before."

  Kent: "Making a meal of it, but it's encouraging. Are there any other comments?"

  Raj: "Regarding our 'odds' of winning the war. There has always been a clas
sical battle between good and evil. Although we will have on our side the so-called 'power of good over evil' it hasn't demonstrated any convincing or lasting superiority in the past. So there are additional powers we must bring to bear. The empowerment of individuals, using their brainpower and multiplied in their millions. The power of words. And the power of ideas whose time has come. We need all these in the conflict against the combined forces of evil in their entrenched positions."

  "Strategic points to remember," agreed Rick. "In the overall context of our war, if we can activate enough people and move them in the chosen direction then we can prevail. Put another way: 'With miles of Smiles, right will be might'."

  =

  "It sounds cornier the further we go," says Andrew, frustrated. "And F(r)ee! What sort of word is that? With brackets in it? That's going too far."

  "Not if it enhances understanding. If it works, communicates, gets results. Especially where there was no understanding or advancement before."

  "But there are so many of these words. In my day we had a thing called 'Ockham's Razor' which stated that terms, concepts and assumptions must not be multiplied beyond necessity. Acronyms and jargon can obfuscate and confuse. You and the AAA Team are blatantly blunting the Razor, are you not?"

  Christiana sighs gently. "William Ockham was a leading tenet of nominalism in his time. The Razor has performed sterling duties against verbal diarrhoea over the years, but it has its limitations. The key word is 'necessity'. Rose was a fan of William's and often wielded his instrument. However there are times when new words need to be generated to convey meaning and understanding and to be used. The AAA Team did just that - they advanced from Ockham's Razor to what came to be known as Danne's Key (thing or factor governing opportunity for access to something, essential, of vital importance). Generation of specific, meaningful, useful and, yes, powerful new words - as opposed to trivial multiplication.

  "You will come to understand how valuable, how necessary some of these new words have been. Terminology has helped us achieve our progress to the extent that without the new terminology, and this naturally is taking some time to sink into your 2020 world brain, we would not have achieved our 10R to its current level so easily, certainly not as quickly.