People are so smart these days. Because we have been marketed to everywhere and aggressively, our bullshit detectors have switched from “stun” to “acute.”
Every post, Craigslist listing, email, or piece of mail is met with “is this on the square?”
Instead of being numb to the bullshit, we are acutely aware of the bullshit.
The good news is that authenticity wins. And now more than ever.
Trying to make a difference? Try this:
- Identify something that when you are doing it, you “hear the angels sing.” This is your Zone of Genius, Stephen Pressfield, The War of Art.
- Keep doing that thing.
- Build your tribe, people who also enjoy that thing. Maybe it’s 1,000 true fans.
- Listen to the angels and come up with something that adds value to your tribe.
- Bring that thing to the tribe.
Critical: Apply Tribal Empathy (vs. ethnographic SEO optimization)

We can tell the difference.