Lots has been said and written about the current mood in the country right now. I recently got a chance to delve into the consumer psyche regarding banks recently and the experience was an interesting study in contrasts.
Regarding the financial world: people are incredibly angry, no surprise. They feel betrayed and violated by the greedy banks, the government for failure to protect them and the foolish people who knowingly got in over their heads.
But there is an optimism that things will get better. We’ll work harder to replace what was lost. There are small signs of recovery they try to see in their everyday lives. People will emerge from their spending paralysis, but with a renewed and hopefully more balanced perspective. Hope springs eternal.
But that’s not the best of what I learned. I found out that despite everything, people are good. Kind to strangers invading their homes with obnoxious cameras and probing questions about their spending habits and lifestyles. Every home or business welcomed me graciously with offers of beverages. One woman, a teacher on summer break, baked a fresh batch of cookies and brewed a pot of coffee for my interview visit. One small business owner who ran a beverage carryout and car wash walked me to my car after I interviewed him and insisted I drive it through their car wash. He personally helped clean the rims. One couple that talked much longer than we had scheduled offered to make me a sandwich for lunch knowing I was off to another interview shortly.
People are good. And in my line of work, Blanche DuBois and I have a lot in common. We both have to rely on the kindness of strangers.
(Note: I am overlooking the part of the story where someone shattered my car window at the Cleveland airport only to find nothing of any importance to steal. But when I took the car to a local dealer and explained what happened, they agreed to fix the window while they gave me a rental off the lot to use for the day, complete with navigation since I was in foreign territory…the wilds of Cleveland, you know. So a bad thing, followed by a good thing. And a newfound love for my car brand.)
Kitchen Table Conversations: Part One
Lots has been said and written about the current mood in the country right now. I recently got a chance to delve into the consumer psyche regarding banks recently and the experience was an interesting study in contrasts.
Regarding the financial world: people are incredibly angry, no surprise. They feel betrayed and violated by the greedy banks, the government for failure to protect them and the foolish people who knowingly got in over their heads.
But there is an optimism that things will get better. We’ll work harder to replace what was lost. There are small signs of recovery they try to see in their everyday lives. People will emerge from their spending paralysis, but with a renewed and hopefully more balanced perspective. Hope springs eternal.
But that’s not the best of what I learned. I found out that despite everything, people are good. Kind to strangers invading their homes with obnoxious cameras and probing questions about their spending habits and lifestyles. Every home or business welcomed me graciously with offers of beverages. One woman, a teacher on summer break, baked a fresh batch of cookies and brewed a pot of coffee for my interview visit. One small business owner who ran a beverage carryout and car wash walked me to my car after I interviewed him and insisted I drive it through their car wash. He personally helped clean the rims. One couple that talked much longer than we had scheduled offered to make me a sandwich for lunch knowing I was off to another interview shortly.
People are good. And in my line of work, Blanche DuBois and I have a lot in common. We both have to rely on the kindness of strangers.
(Note: I am overlooking the part of the story where someone shattered my car window at the Cleveland airport only to find nothing of any importance to steal. But when I took the car to a local dealer and explained what happened, they agreed to fix the window while they gave me a rental off the lot to use for the day, complete with navigation since I was in foreign territory…the wilds of Cleveland, you know. So a bad thing, followed by a good thing. And a newfound love for my car brand.)