Why Do We Require "Inspirational" Speakers?

I am sure that almost every one of you had to either sit through, or hear about, some inane talk given by an “inspirational” speaker. The topics of such talks vary from specific ones such as how they “conquered adversity”, survived some disease to more generic ones like how they rose up through the ranks and became a “successful” politician, businessman or writer. But have you ever wondered..

Why do we require speakers to inspire us to do anything?

We certainly do not require inspirational talks to motivate us to drink something we want, eat something we like or have sex with an attractive person. Nor do we require inspirational talks to do something we like or enjoy doing.

Therefore, at first glance, the whole idea of “inspirational” speaking might sound like an attempt to con people into doing something that is against their best interests. But does it actually work that way? If you have attended more than a couple of these events- you are probably well aware that most of the audience does much pay much attention to what the speaker is talking about. So why do we keep on having more and more of such “inspirational” talks?

I believe that the answer lies in the nature of corporate-minded fraud and scams.

As many of you know only too well, most corporations survive through legislative capture, social inertia, even stupider competitors and the competence of a small number of dedicated employees. However the pay of people in corporations is proportional to a multiple of how well they can feign being busy and how visible they are. Therefore organizing or chairing meetings and committees, rather than working, is the easiest way to rise up through the hierarchy of a corporation.

But even that can be hard work, and human beings like shortcuts. Many have found that organizing meetings and committees that are extremely non-specific and generic can get them the same mileage as doing something that is even marginally useful. Furthermore, many corporations have to bribe people or make a show of good corporate citizenship.

Inviting “inspirational” speakers to talk to large groups simultaneously fulfills the needs of many disparate groups- from brown nosing climbers who want to seen as busy organizational experts to corporations looking to legally bribe “important” people with massive egos and get some good PR or the appearance thereof. The best part of this scam is that even the victims of these atrocities, the hapless listeners, only lose an hour or so of their lives listening to some self-important prick indulge in public masturbation.

and now you know why you have to sit through the inane “inspirational” ramblings of some moron in a suit or a fancy dress.

What do you think? Comments?