Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?
I was listening to the Pivot podcast (by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway) and the episode guests (and journalists) Bill Cohen and Audie Cornish – at 13:40, if you want to listen – both decried the lack of business leaders commenting or taking stands on ICE and the Administration's actions – especially in light of the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
Cohen said it was because business leaders "didn't think it affected their business," while Cornish said it was because "business leaders don't give a shit."
Sadly, I think both are probably right, which then surfaces the question: How can we make business leaders give a shit?
Business leaders have literally disappeared on the issues of the day, which reminds me of the Paula Cole song from 1996, Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" More on that later.
One thing business leaders AND the guy in the White House all understand is money. 💰 They don't give a crap about protests and chanting.
I’ve been wondering if the answer might be a National Day of No Spending. For one day – just one day – all those who care about democracy, human rights, and social justice don’t spend a single dollar.
The average consumer spends $109 per day, which equates to $37 billion in aggregate, while acknowledging that spending is not spread evenly across the days of the year and that only a fraction of the total would be withdrawn from the economy as not everyone would participate.
But you get the point.
$37 billion – or $10 billion – or $5 billion – would that make them care or at least turn their heads?
And how could something like this start?
I’ve seen calls for boycotts against specific companies.
But I’m talking about something much broader – a one-day action to get the attention of the leaders of our corporations regardless of whether their companies are viewed as being good or bad.
If you can cut into their sales just a tiny bit, it has an outsized effect on profitability.
Would that work?
The odds are long, but look what Greta Thunberg helped start by cutting classes for a day and sitting all by her lonely little self outside the Swedish parliament to advocate for climate action.
Could a single person – like me, like you, perhaps – start something that could catch fire at this critical time and get business leaders to stand up for democracy, human rights, and social justice?
Or am I just tilting at the windmill?
What do you think?
Birthday Fundraising Update
Over the holidays I asked folks here and on my socials to help celebrate my 67th birthday by buying me a gift (how forward of me!), which was a donation to City of Good, a Boise nonprofit working to build a sustainable food system with economic support for farmers and equitable access to local food for all. Together, we raised $1,333 for my birthday. Thank you, thank you!
Ditching These Three Illusions Can Save You
As the universe is a quirky place, fueled by collisions and near misses, I like to think I sparked this New York Times The Interview with author Georga Saunders by writing about him here just last week (Failures in kindness…).
Sharing this podcast interview because it’s a great listen with some life lessons from a humble human who’s at the top of his game. Plus, he’s one of my fave authors, and I know some of you feel the same way. (Looking at you, Tara Cottrell.)
You can listen (or read) to the interview here.
Word Nerds Unite!
Time for the word nerds among us to unite, if only briefly, around three words:
Abbondanza (pronounced ah-bohn-DAN-tsah). Because it means abundance, plenty, prosperity, an idea that I think we can all get behind. Oh, and because it’s just fun to say.
Rhodomontade (pronounced roh-duh-mon-teyd). This one stands in for “boastful or inflated talk or behavior.” Remind you of someone trying to win a Nobel Prize?
Goon (pronounced gun). Nothing positive among its various meanings, though I’ll cherry pick this one: “a violent, aggressive person who is hired to intimidate or harm people.” I'd add to this, “wears a mask and doesn’t show I.D.”
Revisionist History: January 6
This SHOULD have run in last week’s issue, but hey – better late than never.
Yes, sometimes our memory becomes hazy at times, so I thought I'd offer help here to the revisionists of the January 6th Capitol attack and jog their memories with a profile in courage: Eugene Goodman.
Here's Where The Cowboys Went
I said I'd get back to this, so here you go. I know it’s older than some of you have been alive but give it a listen – Paula Cole really has a set of pipes! And if this doesn't prove it for you, check out her performance with Peter Gabriel on "In Your Eyes." Total showstopper.
Thank You, Thank You
Many thanks to reader Gregg Mizuta for stepping up and supporting Godspeed as a paid member. Greg is a business banker by day, a talented photographer by night, and always an all-around supporter of the arts. Again, thank you. 🙏
That’s it for this week. I always enjoy hearing from you – let me know what you think of this issue. Let 'er rip.
Godspeed, friends.
Russ