Death of a Salesman
IHCOYC contributed a fantastic essay on the unnecessary evils of salespeople and the dynamics of the cold call to Kuro5hin yesterday. The writer positions salespeople as social pirates, suggesting that cold calls break the Golden Rule -- and that salespeople "prey on the social conventions that make human intercourse possible." Our essayist goes on to consider moral principles, psychological manipulation, and the culture of motivational literature that has emerged to support those who work in sales. Think Zig Ziglar. Think Og Mandino. Then wonder whether these supporters of those in sales are really apologists for something most people think might be incorrectly practiced.