Life During Wartime

In 1979, NYC alternative rockers Talking Heads released the album called “Fear Of Music”, which included the brutal single called Life During Wartime. This song ultimately became one of the anthems of alternative rock, even to this day.

One thing’s consistent though — in wartime or during peace — human nature doesn’t change.

For example, over in Baghdad (that is a VERY unusual word to type — go ahead and try it — the “h” sandwiched between the “g” and the “d” isn’t something you’re used to, believe me), smack dab in the middle of a war zone, what do you think the most popular television show is?

Nope, it’s not their version of CNN… it’s not even their version of Larry King (Lawrence of Arabia?)… and it’s not even the camel show beauty pageant (“pageant”, that’s another weird word — thank goodness for spell check) winners circle.

The most popular show on Baghdad TV is… “Your Fortune.” Your Fortune is a live television show where people phone in and chat with the two hosts — one of who is a fortune teller.

It’s on every day for (get this) TEN minutes, and on Saturdays they run the show for an hour.

Now what’s interesting here is that Islam forbids fortune telling, because The Quran says only Allah can see the future. Makes sense, right?

So the big cheese fortune teller on the show gets around this by saying his predictions aren’t fortune telling because (get this)… they are based on science!

How American is that! Sounds like some New York City lawyer came up with that one, right?

People are people, and this doesn’t change. The same thing that motivated people when Claude C. Hopkins wrote sales copy in the early 1900’s motivates them in war torn Baghdad in 2006, and it will motivate your prospects here in America as well.

Curiosity and voyeurism won’t ever go away, and pop culture will survive long after you and I are nothing but dust ground up into little bits inside a box somewhere.

This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco. And this sure ain’t no foolin around.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. This month’s Audio Success CD interview is with Lieutenant X, truly one of the nicest and most pleasant guys I’ve ever spoken to, and he knows a HELL of a lot about how to run continuity programs (and he makes a small fortune doing it as well!). Check it out with this month’s Newsletter, right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl