www.sixfingeredman.net
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29.01

What's the difference between taking money and making money? When you make money, you are actually adding value to the world. Your product is a technological advance, it is something people need, it saves time or makes life easier. When you take money, you're basically in a marketing venture to convince stupid people to give you cash. It doesn't matter what your product is, but I'll bet you're a middle man (RIAA anybody) who basically leverages a lucky situation.

The difference is subtle -- for one thing, if the demand is there and you charge a commensurately high price, you're not "taking advantage" of anything, you're just providing a service people obviously value. Although it does seem people are pretty stupid when it comes to choosing which services they value. In any case, I think most people know deep down in their hearts what kind of business they're in. You shouldn't let market research and business-man thinking obscure the fact that you're in business to create value in your product. Do that, and everything else follows.

Maybe I'm just bitter. I'm sick of reading about leveraging synergies and proactive attitudes and bullshit in classifieds. Did you know that it takes 6 years of experience to run the cashier's booth in the UT parking garage?