Mind Camp 3.0 is this weekend, and I’m getting to know some of the participants through the planning process. One is Scott Berkun, whose eponymous blog contains an incisive analysis of bullshit. It starts with the history (beginning with Genesis, in which, Berkun points out “nearly everyone lied”) and then goes into the nitty gritty of how to combat BS. Very much worth reading if you deal with human beings on a regular basis. Not sure I could use the suggestions to stand up to God, though, if he told me the apples were fatal.
After reading this essay, I’m very much looking forward to meeting Scott. As a writer/editor, my fight against BS is usually conducted from the inside — for instance, someone has hired me to help them foist (wittingly or unwittingly) a certain amount of BS onto an audience. My job is to lower the BS quotient to the point that their communication won’t be perceived as BS and discounted or (worse) sprayed back at them. Amazingly, bullshitters never seem to perceive this is a risk; they never say “Gee, Karen, I know this sounds like, er, bullshit…is there any way to make it sound more credible?”
I went to the first MindCamp which came the weekend before a big trip. The second one was during a big trip. The third one is right before I leave for Hong Kong.
Why are they doing this to me?!