All About Me

I just want to put it out there that I’m a selfish guy.

And that is as it should be, because everyone acts out of self-interest. When it comes right down to it, it’s all about me. Or, you, if you’re you. Which you are. But no matter who we are, me or you, we are selfish by nature.

Now there are bound to be some virtuous folk out there that might disagree with me.

But that’s just the way we’re built. It’s an extension of our survival instinct. We all do what keeps us alive, fed, sheltered and loved, and then once we have all of that looked after we can move on to some of the more nuanced aspects of life, like the size of our phone screen and how many cupholders in our vehicle. Mine has eight. It seats five. Go figure.

The fact is that we are selfish by nature. It’s a behaviour rooted in instinct. Pretty much everything that we do, and all the choices that we make, are driven by our need to look after our own s elves.

What drives someone to do give their life over for something they believe in? Because it somehow meets a fundamental need in a way so profound that all the sacrifices they make seem trivial in comparison. Because there’s something in it for them, and it’s all about them.

Mother Theresa didn’t live in the slums of Calcutta for 50 years because it made her sad.

Reverend King didn’t put himself in harm’s way just because he wanted people to feel sorry for him.

And I’m sure that if the Dalai Lama really wanted out of the life, he could grab a ball cap, a pair of Ray Bans and a set of Carhartts, pass himself off as Larry from Mount Pleasant and spend his life quietly working at Tire Mart. But I am going to bet that he won’t do that because he finds greater reward in living a life of service.

Why does any of this matter from a communication perspective?

Because self-interest is at the heart of every communication. It is why we communicate. Because we want something. Or because we don’t want something! Because we want things to change or we want things to remain the same. But mostly, because we want.

The great thing is that our audience is just as selfish. So, as long as our communication takes that into account, then we’re off to a pretty good start. Giving consideration to our audience’s point of view is how we can make sure that they will be satisfied with our proposition, that is, whatever we want them to think or do. We need to know what’s in it for them, and then make sure that they know what’s in it for them. It’s actually a pretty simple transaction. Whatever support we are looking for, our audience needs to believe that supporting us will satisfy them in some way that balances the scales.

To you, for being with us today, I am offering every viewer a free Slinky. Terms and conditions apply.

Limit of no Slinkys per viewer. Don’t be too upset, it’s kind of a silly toy anyway. If you are a manufacturer, patent holder, trade or copyright owner, or anyone who has ever owned a Slinky, please don’t sue us. We have no money anyway. Dial one-eight hundred-The-Most-Important-Subject to speak to someone who thinks you should know better. Offer good only until the end of this disclaimer.