Business
Corporate America’s Grand Social Engineering Scheme
Board rooms are flooded with wokesters who seek to skew reality
A while ago I wrote an article about an apparent grand social engineering scheme, now at least five years running, hatched by corporate America. Since then the situation has accelerated, hence this end-of-the-year update.
To begin, in viewing the ever-lengthening list below of companies and products below, do you discern any common denominator?
ADT, Amazon, American Express, American Home Shield, Amex Travel, Aplus.net, Anheuser-Busch, Armorall, Aplus.net, AT&T, Axe Ice Chill, Bank of America, Behr Ultra, Best Buy, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Bombas Underwear, Booking.com, Bud Light, Cadillac, Calvin Klein, Capital One, Carolina Keno, Casper Mattresses, Celebrity Cruises, Centrum Silver, Champion Windows, Chase, Cheerios, Choice Hotels, Cinemark, Clearblue, Coors Light, Corolla Cross, Corona Seltzer, Cricket, Credit Karma, CRS Temporary Housing, Dawn, Dell Technologies, DirecTV, Disney Cruise Lines, Domino’s Pizza, Ecolab Science, Entresto, Entyvio, Expedia, Experian, Fidelity, Freshly.com, GEICO, GetRoman, GlaxoSmithKline Trelegy, Glidden, Grammarly, and Grand Wagoner.
Also, Hagerty, Harris Teeter Supermarket, Heineken, Home Depot, Honey Maid, Humira2, Hyundai, Ikea, Ingressa, Intel, Joybird Furniture, JP Morgan, Just For Men, Kay Jewelers, Keebler, Kesimpta, Kia Motors. Kohl’s, Latuda-Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Liberty Mutual, Lincoln Financial, LL Flooring, Love Sac Furniture, Macy’s, Marriott Bonvoy, McDonald’s, Mercari, Michelob, Michelob Golden Light, Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite, Mountain Dew, My GMC Card, NBA.com, NerdWallet, Nestle’s, Nioxin, Nissan, Nissan Versa, Notre Dame University, Ocrevus-Genetech, Old Navy, Olive Garden, Opendoor, Otezla, Pepsi, Polident, Prevnar 20, Progressive Insurance, Public Broadcasting System, Rayban, ReMAX, Rocket Mortgage, Rooms to Go, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Rybelsus, and Saga River Cruises.
Add in Samsung Galaxy 21, Serta Arctic, Smile Direct Club, Smithfield Foods, Sonic, Spectrum Business, Spectrum Originals, Starbucks, State Farm, Subway, SunglassesHut.com, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Tahoe South, TalkItOutNC.org,Target, Terminex, Tide, TheRocketAdvantage.com, TJ Maxx, Tommy John Underwear, TouchOfModern, Toyota, Travel Oregon, VacationsToGo, Valspar Paints, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Visit Albuquerque, Visit Florida, Vivint Smart Home Security, Vizzy Hard Seltzer. Walmart, Wayfare, WeBuyAnyCar, WellCareWells Fargo, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Wimbledon, Vacasa, Volkswagon, Vroom.com, and Zeluja.
A Campaign Unlike All Others
No clue? Every single entity above features television commercials or web advertisements with a black male paired with a white female. Most couples appear to be married or part of a long-term relationship. Or, the pair appears to dating.
This past spring, Michelob launched a commercial, unique in its approach to selling beer. A petite, highly attractive red-headed woman, in an extremely short tennis dress, holding two bottles of Michelob, dances along a tennis court, in a highly suggestive, sexually alluring fashion. At mid court, she hands her black male partner one of the bottles, and they toast.
Nothing to see here, undoubtedly in everyday life, we’ve all witnessed very attractive redheads in decidedly short tennis skirts do a highly suggestive, sexually charged dance on the way to their male partner. Oh, you haven’t?
Skewing Reality
The incidence of mixed race couples in society has been on the increase since the 1970s. Nevertheless, since blacks represent less than 13% of the U.S. population and black men represent roughly 6% of the population, it is a statistical anomaly that so many TV commercials feature such a pairing, with white males out of the picture.
An ever-expanding array of woke advertisers apparently need to re-affirm their virtue signaling. Amex Travel, Armorall, Bank of America, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Capital One, Entresto, Entyvio, Freshly.com, Home Depot, Kay Jewelers, Michelob, Otezla, Progressive Insurance, Sonic, Starbucks, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Toyota, and Wayfare feature at lease two different TV commercials, with each pairing a black man with a white woman and, in some cases, in a car with white children in the back seat.
In one Nestle’s commercial, the white wife of a black husband aggressively tells us her first name. One particular GetRoman commercial features two different pairings of a black man and a white woman, as does a particular Rocket Mortgage commercial. Rybelsus features two different black male white female parings in the same TV ad.
Ubiquitous, to Say the Least
Black man — white woman commercials are now so ubiquitous that in some cases you’ll see such TV commercials back-to-back, and occasionally even back-to-back-to-back. Might the unassuming, casual viewer wonder, “What’s going on here?” Who decided to engage in mass social engineering?
Samsung, Budweiser, Trojans, Grey Goose Vodka, and PNC Bank depict a more casual relationship between a black man and a white woman. In other cases, only fleeting glimpse of such couples are offered, as with Google, JCPenney, Nissan, and Busch Garden commercials. Travel Oregon employs black man — white woman claymation figures to lure potential vacationers.
In one Amazon TV commercial, a black man is brushing his teeth as a white woman sticks her head out of the shower and says, “That’s a low price.” Two children, one black and one white, are all in the bathroom with them at the same time.
Unlike Anything You’ve Seen Before
A Bombas underwear commercial ends showing the backsides of a white woman and black man each in the their underwear, holding each other, in a risque pose, unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a TV commercial.
Aleve features a white woman with a black child on her shoulders. Zeluja shows a gleeful grandmother accompanied by her two mixed-race grandchildren on a boat around the lake. Eyemed features an early 30s white woman embracing her apparent mixed race son. LL flooring features a couple lying on a hardwood floor. The white woman says, “I love you Steve” and then the black man says, “I love you Steve.” It turns out the flooring salesman is named Steve.
In a Starbucks commercial — you know, the company headed Howard Schultz, who proudly proclaimed in 2017 that he was going to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years and was upended by a populist backlash that sought to know why he didn’t proclaim the quest to hire 10,000 U.S. veterans — a black man and a white woman enter a Starbucks, about to hold hands, for apparently the first time. The commercial’s closing sequence reads, “Starbucks, your happy day is here.”
Scenarios Unprecedented
Anyone can be in love with anyone, and certainly anyone can be in a relationship with anyone. What is unfolding in corporate and ‘progressive’ America, however, that results in the extreme over-accenting of mixed race couples? Note that Hispanics and Asians generally are not part of this phenomenon.
When a black man in a TV commercial is actually paired with a black woman, she always has lighter skin. If a black man is featured with his apparent children, they always have much lighter skin, leading to the conclusion that the mother is white, such as with Truist Bank, Chevy Bolt, and Blue Cross of North Carolina. In many cases, the darker complexion for the man, the lighter complexion for any offspring. Is the underlying message that dark-skinned women are undesirable?
With T-Mobile, a white woman wearing a wedding ring is resting her head in the lap of a black man. I’ve been watching television for 60 years and have never seen such poses depicted in any TV commercial with a white husband and wife, or a black husband and wife. For some reason, however, today’s corporate entities feel compelled to show us a black husband and a white wife in amorous scenarios unprecedented in television advertising history.
Likewise, GetRoman.com offers an exceedingly bold, racy TV commercial that leaves nothing to the imagination with a black male stating, “Sometimes you’re not ready,” whereupon his white female partner, in a skimpy black dress and high heels proclaims, “We’ve got this,” and they march off to the bedroom.
Abroad and in Print
Ethnic Europeans, who comprise more than 90% of the continent, are puzzled by what they see as an anti-white propaganda campaign conveyed through television commercials. The promotion of mixed race relationships, with a white woman and a black man, in particular, has become so commonplace that even unobservant viewers have noticed.
Magazine and website ads in the U.S. such as DiscoverTheForest.org, by the U.S. Forest Service pairs a black man and a white woman holding hands as they strolled through a forest with two mixed-race children proceeding them. Fidelity Investments features a black man and a white woman leaning on a railing, staring at the horizon, in the planning for their retirement. Farmbox, BathFitter, Jonathon Paul Fitovers, and OTC Network follow the same pattern.
What is the end game behind interracial commercials? Are corporate board rooms flooded with wokesters who feel compelled or coerced to skew reality in this particular way?
Show us the Sales Data
Since corporate advertising is specifically designed to bolster product and service awareness and, ultimately, revenue, do such companies believe that black/white pairings will help them with their sales? I’d be interested in seeing their data.
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Business
Work-Life Balance in Your Life
It the ability to experience a sense of control and to stay productive and competitive at work while maintaining a happy, healthy home-life
Work-life balance (WLB) is the ability to experience a sense of control and to stay productive and competitive at work while maintaining a happy, healthy home-life with sufficient leisure. WLB, also referred to by some as work-life harmony, work-life shift, work-life blend, work-life effectiveness, or work-life integration, requires focus and awareness despite seemingly endless tasks and activities competing for our time and attention.
Work-life balance entails having what I call “breathing space” for yourself each day, feeling a sense of accomplishment while not being consumed by work, and having an enjoyable domestic life without short-changing career obligations. WLB is rooted in whatever fulfillment means to you within the course of a day and a week, and however many years you have left in your life.
Supporting Disciplines
Several disciplines support work-life balance though, individually, none are synonymous with work-life balance:
1) Self Management
Sufficiently managing one’s self can be challenging, particularly in getting proper sleep, exercise, and nutrition. Self-management is the recognition that effectively using the spaces in our lives is vital, and that life, time, and available resources are finite. It means becoming captain of our own ship; no one is coming to steer for us.
2) Time Management
Effective time management involves making optimal use of your day and the supporting resources that can be summoned – you can only keep pace when your resources match your challenges. Time management is enhanced through appropriate goals and discerning what is both important and urgent, versus important OR urgent. It entails understanding what you do best and when, and assembling the appropriate tools to accomplish specific tasks.
3) Stress Management
By nature, societies tend to become more complex over time. In the face of increasing complexity, stress on the individual is inevitable. More people, noise, and distractions, independent of one’s individual circumstances, require each of us to become more adept at maintaining tranquility and being able to work ourselves out of pressure-filled situations. Most forms of multi-tasking ultimately increase our stress, while focusing on one thing at a time helps decrease stress.
4) Change Management
In our fast-paced world, change is virtually the only constant. Continually adopting new methods, adapting old, and re-adapting all methods is vital to a successful career and a happy home life. Effective change management involves offering periodic and concerted efforts so that the volume and rate of change at work and at home does not overwhelm or defeat you.
5) Technology Management
Effectively managing technology requires ensuring that technology serves you, rather than abuses you. Technology has always been with us, since the first walking stick, spear, flint, and wheel. Today, the rate of technological change is accelerating, brought on by vendors seeking expanding market share. Often you have no choice but to keep up with the technological Joneses, but rule technology, don’t let it rule you.
6) Leisure Management
The most overlooked of the work-life balance supporting disciplines, leisure management acknowledges 1) the importance of rest and relaxation, 2) that “time off” is a vital component of the human experience, and 3) that one can’t indefinitely short-change leisure without repercussions. Curiously, too much of the same leisure activity, however enjoyable, can lead to monotony. Thus, effective leisure management requires varying one’s activities.
Entirely Achievable
Achieving work-life balance does not require radical changes in what you do. It is about developing fresh perspectives and sensible, actionable solutions that are appropriate for you. It is fully engaging in life with what you have, right where you are, smack dab in the ever-changing dynamics of your existence.
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Business
Work-life Balance: The Enduring Quest
Organizations today recognize the importance of supporting employees’ well-being while maintaining productivity
Thank goodness that organizations today increasingly recognize the importance of supporting employees’ well-being while maintaining productivity. As such, the corporate quest for work-life balance, harmony, and integration has gained great prominence.
Key Aspects
Here are 12 key aspects of this pursuit gleaned from a variety of programs:
1. Offer Flexible Work Arrangements: Offering flexible work schedules, remote work options, and part-time opportunities allows employees to better balance their professional and personal lives.
2. Have Clear Policies: Establishing clear policies and guidelines regarding work hours, overtime, and expectations helps employees manage their time effectively.
3. Support Mental Health: Providing access to mental health resources, counseling, and stress management programs can address employees’ emotional well-being.
4. Give Leave: Offering generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave, allows employees to address personal and family needs without fear of repercussions.
5. Prevent Burnout: Encouraging employees to disconnect from work-related technology after hours helps prevent burnout and supports work-life separation.
6. Support Workload Management: Ensuring that employees have manageable workloads and realistic deadlines prevents excessive stress and long working hours.
7. Provide Wellness Programs: Implementing wellness initiatives, such as fitness facilities, nutrition programs, and health screenings, promotes a healthier work-life balance.
8. Enable Employee Assistance Programs: Such programs provide confidential counseling and support services for employees facing personal challenges.
9. Promote a Culture of Balance: Company culture plays a significant role in work-life balance. Leaders should model a balanced lifestyle, and the organization should celebrate accomplishments beyond work.
10. Maintain Continuous Communication: Engaging in open dialogues with employees about their needs and concerns regarding work-life balance fosters a supportive and responsive corporate culture.
11. Empower Workers with Training and Education: Providing training on time management, stress reduction, and resilience equips employees with the skills to better balance their lives.
12. Leverage Remote Work Policies: Crafting clear remote work policies and expectations ensures that remote employees have a structured work-life balance.
Bringing in the Hired Gun
As the world’s only holder of the title, “The Work-Life Balance Expert®,” as issued by the USPTO, I am often summoned by organizations to enhance work-life balance for their troops. In all, I’ve delivered programs and spoken to 960 groups. Below depicts an encounter with a company who shall remain nameless for reasons of confidentiality. See if this squares up with your experience in your organization.
The following responses were derived as a result of my sending a questionnaire to the conference meeting planner where I was to be their keynote speaker. I requested the names of 10 people who would be in the audience. I called each of them to discuss their current challenges. Here are their actual replies to three of my questions:
1) If you could magically resolve a work-life balance issue, what would it be?
* Have more breathing room between high-level projects.
* Accomplish more during the workday and leave mentally free.
* Hire more staff!
* Take vacations and time off with no big pile ups when returning.
* Be allowed to take some Fridays off and catch up on much needed appointments.
* Reduce the number of pop-up requests and questions flying at me all day long so that I could ACTUALLY do what I need to do each day.
* Be approved to work from home or adjust my hours. My personal time isn’t respected.
2) What do you seek to derive from attending a session such as mine?
* Manage my time more effectively.
* Gain tools to embrace life while living it
* Develop stronger skills.
* Make work-life balance a reality in our company’s work-first culture.
* Acquire strategies, tips, or ideas to re-think my approach.
* Learn to change my focus, to be more productive, balanced, and focused.
* Be able to balance the few things that I do control during my day.
* Discover tips for keeping my staff in balance.
* Gain a realistic expectation of what we can achieve or experience.
* Develop a more positive outlook for the group.
3) Are there any observations you could offer?
* Work-life balance is a huge topic organization-wide. We are high performers who want to do a good job. We compromise our personal lives to meet work demands. We have to keep pace with the leaders and teams we support. If we don’t, we’ll be deemed unresponsive.
* A frenetic pace seems to be inherent in this company. Our team does a good job of emphasizing work-life balance; the problem lies with the surrounding divisions that thrive on working all the time, for no good reason. Yes, we are in a global space, working in different time zones, but some of these people are beyond the pale.
* What I love about this organization are the people. They are dedicated to the cause and truly want to deliver reliable, affordable, dynamic, and versatile solutions to our customers. However, our frenetic pace isn’t necessary. Not every project is the most vital. Not every problem is an emergency. Not every request has to be filled now.
* If in charge, I’d implement a more efficient, logical pace organization-wide. If we all took a breath and reevaluated how we work, in a more focused environment, we might find that we could produce better results with less stress.
Resonates Strongly
As you can see, the topic of work-life balance resonates strongly among today’s career professionals. Going forward, may more organization recognize and acknowledge the critical role that employee wellness and work-life balance has on the organization’s overall effectiveness.
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