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The same cigarette as me

Written by: Seth Godin

Article Overview: "He can't be a man because he doesn't smoke [syncopated pause] the same cigarette as me."

The same cigarette as me

"He can't be a man because he doesn't smoke [syncopated pause] the same cigarette as me."

When your product becomes the badge for a tribe, you sell a lot of products. The Stones don't mean "a man" in the sense of a homo sapien. They mean "a man" in sense of "someone worthy of my respect." Not in my tribe, not worth it...

Brooks Brothers was the badge for a generation of grey-suited men. Che t-shirts are the badge for a cadre of activists. The Allen & Co. retreat is the badge for a tiny cabal of media titans.

It's not easy to become the badge, but it's a worthy destination.

Key truth: you can't be the badge for everyone. In order for the tribe to exist, it must have insiders. And you can't have insiders without outsiders.

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Article Tags: activists, brooks brothers, cigarette, homo sapien, suited men, tribe



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Tanning Salon Franchises - [quote="franchisebrief.com":2aa0be02]I would buy a tanning salon franchise! Although the initial investment is pretty high (around $200,000), the ROI can be really big and fast too. I am actually seriously considering opening a tanning salon right now.[/quote:2aa0be02] I'm a bit late chiming in on this...but actually I think tanning salons would be a bad investment right now. There's all sorts of evidence that tanning beds cause skin cancer in far greater numbers than sunbathers under "real" sun. While this may not prevent people from using suntanning beds, even with all the new warnings that the beds will have to be labeled with soon, you can bet that as soon as those people get skin cancer, they'll be suing the tanning salon. Its just like cigarette smoking. People smoke despite the warnings plastered on every packet, but when they get cancer...oh, it's the cigarette company's fault!
Re: Are franchises with unhealthy foods still wise investments? - [quote="Kevin":25ce5uw5] For instance, if you saw a child trying to stab himself/herself with a spoon, then you'd probably have to step in and take away that spoon right? So I think the gov't is right to intervene and take away our "spoons" or in this case, trans fats.[/quote:25ce5uw5] What about smoking, though? "Government" warnings have been on cigarette packages for 40 years, yet the government continues to allow cigarettes to be sold. They also put a dollar a pack tax on them, or even more. (And that tax will be going up soon.) And, they're allowing smokers to sue cigarette companies for giving them cancer. Seems to me, a great big warning label on a package of cigarettes should be the same as signing a waiver of liability. You saw the warning. You smoked anyway. You get a disease because you smoked - it's no one's fault but yours! I know the goverment's been doing it in hole-and-corner fashion, allowing local governments to ban smoking in restaurants, and public buildings...and I think some cities now even make it illegal for you to smoke in your own house if your neighbor can smell your smoke, or if there's a child in the house.. In other words, we keep letting the government take away our liberties. They're starting small, but soon we won't be able to do anything!
Re: Tanning Salon Franchises - [quote="OmnivoreInk":1m80iqmd][quote="franchisebrief.com":1m80iqmd]I would buy a tanning salon franchise! Although the initial investment is pretty high (around $200,000), the ROI can be really big and fast too. I am actually seriously considering opening a tanning salon right now.[/quote:1m80iqmd] I'm a bit late chiming in on this...but actually I think tanning salons would be a bad investment right now. There's all sorts of evidence that tanning beds cause skin cancer in far greater numbers than sunbathers under "real" sun. While this may not prevent people from using suntanning beds, even with all the new warnings that the beds will have to be labeled with soon, you can bet that as soon as those people get skin cancer, they'll be suing the tanning salon. Its just like cigarette smoking. People smoke despite the warnings plastered on every packet, but when they get cancer...oh, it's the cigarette company's fault![/quote:1m80iqmd] I have friends that started with a small salon - 8-10 beds and now they have 20+ and several specialty options that coordinate very nicely with the tanning beds. I am well aware of the health risks, but have a skin condition that can only be treated through a tanning bed. Makes no sense, but nothing else works and over the years I've tried everything on the market and all kinds of unusual treatments. After a few sessions in the beds, my skin clears up. I talked with the owner of the salon I go to and they have a decent number of people who go there for health reasons. Shri
Re: Are franchises with unhealthy foods still wise investments? - I think a lot of restaurants will be hurting because of this ridiculous - yes, I said ridiculous! - insistence on banning trans fats and this and that - ie interfering with how restaurants run their businesses and cook their foods. People have been warned that various foods "may" cause health problems. Just as with cigarette smoking, it should be their option if they want to eat that food or not. The guv'mint shouldn't have anything to do with it!
Re: Are franchises with unhealthy foods still wise investments? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":1jlvi3tb]I think a lot of restaurants will be hurting because of this ridiculous - yes, I said ridiculous! - insistence on banning trans fats and this and that - ie interfering with how restaurants run their businesses and cook their foods. People have been warned that various foods "may" cause health problems. Just as with cigarette smoking, it should be their option if they want to eat that food or not. The guv'mint shouldn't have anything to do with it![/quote:1jlvi3tb] Well I guess the problem is that most people refuse to turn away from their unhealthy lifestyle obsession with fast food, so the gov't feels the need to protect us from ourselves. The alarming increase in obesity numbers speaks for itself. For instance, if you saw a child trying to stab himself/herself with a spoon, then you'd probably have to step in and take away that spoon right? So I think the gov't is right to intervene and take away our "spoons" or in this case, trans fats.


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