Enough Already About the Economy

Steven Pearlstein writes: “The fundamental challenge facing the U.S. is to get what we consume more in line with what we produce after years of living beyond our means.” Phooey. Give me Hollywood legend John Huston, who said, “A man should always live BEYOND his means.”

No doubt Pearlstein’s advice is the fiscally prudent course. It’s the staying “in line” that chafes my spirit. I can’t live that way, nor do I admire any who do. My heroes take risks and ignore boundaries. No matter if economies crash, their lives are one long “boom.” Many are honored with Nobels and Pulitzers. Damned if I can think of anyone who’s won an award just for saving a buck.

In the business world, too, there are limits to the rewards given individuals, companies or products whose principle virtue is to skimp. Something about them connotes intellectual penury.

In the IT, BSS and OSS arenas, software companies place tremendous emphasis on the efficiency, economies and performance gains their systems provide. Trouble is, such metrics are usually chump change to their most desired customer targets, Tier I service providers.

At the height of the 2008-09 recession, I witnessed an OSS salesman trying to impress a major U.S. wireline provider by boasting that his inventory management solution could save “$10 million the first year alone!”  The telco guy practically bust a gut. “No offense,” he laughed, “but can you show me something that makes money?” He was asking the salesman to help him live large.

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