QUOTESSAYS

  Some old-school wisdom from philosopher, poet, and all-around wise guy, Solomon Ibn Gabirol. There is also a less lofty version of this idea that has been a tool of skilled salesmen for generations. That is to ask questions in a way as to get the answer you want, aka the leading question. In law they spit polish that phrase, give it a college degree, and call it 'suggestive interrogation'. The key is to provide part of the response you want in the question itself. "So, do you want to sign the contract now or after lunch? I am good either way, but sooner is probably better than later.' 'I got the impression you really liked this product, didn't you?' 'How soon do you want that delivered? I think there is still time to get it on the truck today if you act now.' I always thought of it as instilling a relaxed sense of urgency in the buyer. Not high pressure, but a steady low pressure, all the while painting a vivid picture of how your buyer's life

 I don't pay much attention to partisan political posts on Facebook and never post them myself. The majority are pretty silly, shallow, and don't age very well. I much prefer political philosophy that has stood the test of time, and even those bits of knowledge are rare. Old Plato pretty much invented the concept of a republic as we know it, and he was very aware of that form of government's potential pitfalls and problems too. Hell, Plato wrote the book! This quote illustrates the classic Catch-22 of any society based on rule of law and is as valid today as it was in ancient Greece. It is also a concept that often gets lost in the lights of contemporary political rhetoric and pandering. The only folks that understand it 100% are the criminal class.