3 Whisky Happy HourThe Ricochet PodcastGLoP CultureBeyond the Polls with Henry OlsenParsing Immigration PolicyFederalist Radio HourWhat the Hell Is Going OnFreedom to LearnDaily SignalThe Erick Erickson ShowChicks on The Right3 Martini LunchThe Learning CurveThe Conservative Woman’s GuideHeritage ExplainsNot Dead YetGiving VenturesWho Funds that?The Radio Free Hillsdale HourThe Glenn ShowFirst Things PodcastCall Me Back - with Dan SenorHillsdale DialoguesLaw Talk with Epstein, Yoo & CookeThe LibertarianThe Report Card with Nat MalkusThe Kevin Roberts Show with Larry O’ConnorThe American IdeaMadison’s NotesConservative Crossroads with Henry OlsenMom WarsThe Back of the BookGray MattersMartini ShotThe Dave Carter ShowThe Powerline ShowIn DissentHeard at HeritageSmart Girl PoliticsJames Lileks’ The DinerCase in Point: The Legal Show on the Hottest Legal Cases in Politics and CultureJobMakersOne on One with Robert DoarHomeschooling Journeys with Curious MikeHubwonk

Get the Ricochet app

Ricochet will work fine in a browser on your mobile devices, but for the best experience please download our app.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Become a member.

Tired of the toxicity of social media? Why not join Ricochet for just $5/month? Think of it as an online bar. Come in, have a drink, hang out, say whatever you want. But don’t badger, bully, or berate the other drinkers. That's our only rule.

  1. Main Feed/
  2. The Ultimate Grift!
January 9, 2024 at 11:00 AM

The Ultimate Grift!

Old Bathos
@OldBathos

To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

Join to bookmark22likesJoin to like7comments

Imagine for a moment that you do not have any unique insights about the future of technology, nor any innovative solutions for the world's chronic economic, medical, demographic, or other challenges. Further, imagine that you have no academic or work-experience credentials that might aid you in finding such insights. Lastly, consider that you have neither the desire nor connections to start on the difficult pathway to achieving power via electoral politics. Nevertheless, you still really want to hold power and get rich in the course of obtaining that power and be recognized as a visionary.

Is that where you find yourself at this moment? It might just be destiny or fate that you are reading this right now.

My friend, the next few paragraphs could change your life. My name is Klaus Schwab and I invite you to The Ultimate GriftTM. Using the specialized knowledge in my course and following a few simple rules can get the life you have always wanted. For example:

  • Know your market and your targets. Many people want to Do Good and be Smart or more accurately appear to do good and be smart. Rich white people who might feel a need to deflect guilt or negative perceptions because of their wealth are your ideal targets. Do it right and those people will beg to join your Leadership Group. The key is to know that creating a high-profile context that will cultivate and deliver that "appearance experience" is your product NOT whatever cosmetic or bogus “solutions” your group may think they have concocted. If any of those “solutions” are actually beneficial, make sure the benefits are of a kind for which maximum credit can be taken. [And so much more in Lesson One!]
  • Pick the Right Issues. Climate, global (not local) poverty, and “access” to the internet, medicine, or water are vastly preferable to issues of war and peace, welfare policies, race relations, or sexual issues. No one wants polar bears, penguins, or the whole planet to die but the same natural sympathy does not apply to drag queens doing story hour, homeless drunks defecating on sidewalks, or unemployed ex-cons. You can’t work for peace in any specific conflict without appearing to take sides. Local problems might actually be susceptible to specific actions or infusions of cash rather than broad-brush outputs from lucrative Leadership Gatherings. Worse, specific actions and specific programs have outcomes that can be judged. You can do “pilot” programs only if it is a clear and easy win. [Just a taste of what you will find in critical Lessons Two through Four!]
  • Learn How to Own the Future. [Lessons Five and Six are so valuable it is amazing we include them in this package rather than sell them separately!] Some professional analysts make the mistake of issuing precise predictions about markets, technology, or events. You can cite such projections but only to salt your offerings with the illusion of expertise but do not be in the business of predictions except for all the bad things that could happen if people ignore your guidance. For example, consider these excerpts from my WEC website article Why we need to ramp up tech diplomacy to harness opportunities of the digital economy:
Indeed, an estimated 70% of the new value created in the economy over the next decade will be based on digitally enabled platform business models. Emerging technologies and trends like artificial intelligence (AI), data governance, digital trade, digital rights and cyber threats are redefining international relations. * * * Tech diplomacy, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, goes beyond harnessing the power of technology to forge stronger, more resilient international ties, it also establishes a dialogue on standardized regulations, mutual frameworks, and joint projects that benefit all stakeholders involved.

Notice that there is no specific prediction. There is a cursory, generic description of government actions already happening in the normal course of trade policymaking but no suggestions or specifics about what form or direction the new diplomacy should take. And a subtle inference that good things will be lost if our (non-existent) guidance is not followed. Is it all just empty verbiage? Wrong! We have just taken the lead on a critically important issue. And my course can show you how to do that in any issue context. [You know you want to get right into this solid gold info!]

Want more? Sign up for the full course and get the insider knowledge you will need on topics such as:

Using the media. Learn the importance of the appearance of “special access,” free liquor, and why you need to write the story for them.

Becoming Yoda. Using the lessons from such diverse figures as Elizabeth Holmes, Fidel Castro, David Koresh, and Bernie Madoff you can begin to craft a persona that sells.

Also,

  • Where to find your marks
  • Selecting the right private aircraft
  • Invent your own buzzwords
  • Dealing with the threat of actual expert

And so much more! What are you waiting for, future global leader?

Details and pricing are at the link below....

This post was promoted to the Main Feed at the recommendation of Ricochet's members.

Discussion (7)

Sign in to commentSign in
  • CHARTER MEMBER

    To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

    David Foster@DavidFoster·2y

    A lot of posts at LinkedIn read like the WEC excerpt.

  • To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

    DaveSchmidt@DaveSchmidt·2y

    When will your TED Talk be released?

  • To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

    Old Bathos@OldBathos·2y
    ReplyingtoDaveSchmidt

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    When will your TED Talk be released?

    No freebies.

  • To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

    Steve Fast@SteveFast·2y

    Dang it, I mis-read the title. I thought it said the Ultimate Gift.

  • CONTRIBUTOR

    To read this bio, please join Ricochet.

    James Lileks@jameslileks·2y

    I listened to an Apple News Podcast narration of an Atlantic mag story today. It concerned a guy who had no technical know-how, and a history of failed businesses, stumbling into an idea for leasing portable solar generators. It fit perfectly into all the Green Initiatives and tax-credit programs. He Ponzi'd up and took corporate America for a billion dollars.

Scroll for later comments
+2 more comments
Join the conversation

You're seeing five of seven comments. Sign in, or join for just $5 per month, to read them all and add your own.

Trending

Become a member.

Tired of the toxicity of social media? Why not join Ricochet for just $5/month? Think of it as an online bar. Come in, have a drink, hang out, say whatever you want. But don’t badger, bully, or berate the other drinkers. That's our only rule.

Join Ricochet

Get the Ricochet app

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
  • •
  • •