Death of the Salesletter
by Michel Fortin

World class copywriter Michel Fortin has just written a "must read" 52 page report on the "Death of the Salesletter".

Michel has graciously made distribution of the report to my friends and clients available without cost.  You can read a comment that I posted on Michel's blog below.  Please confirm that you would like to download a free copy for your own personal use and sharing by confriming here:

Thanks for the well thought out and shared insights Michel.

Your report is a great reminder that regardless of the media, we are dealing with the process of communication and how humans communicate.

As a professor of communication, I attempt to convey the importance of understanding that communication is an evolutionary, systematic process by which we seek to identify with and influence other human beings.

The late Kenneth Burke demonstrated that at its essence, communication is the use of symbols by symbol using creatures (that's us - lol) to induce cooperation among other symbol using creatures.  Part of that process can be by providing people and scenarios that others can identify with as they participate in the conversation or social interaction.

With the evolution of the Internet and Web 2.0, humans are able to achieve not only their Warholesque 15 minutes of fame but, to a degree, we are also able to accomplish what had been previously reserved for the writers, artists and other creative "X" types - the denial of death.  The Pulitzer Prize winning effort by Ernest Becker explains :  "The main theme of The Denial of Death is that most human activity ultimately concerns the denial of one's mortality. The full realization of one's own mortality is mostly unbearable, absolutely terrifying and horrific. Man transcends this problem in the concept of heroism. By being heroic, man feels he has meaning, a purpose, something that will never die. One can be a hero to the eye of God, to the State, to the eyes of his peers, to his family, etc."  (Wikipedia).

Humans crave mattering and Web 2.0 provides the very real vehicles for satisfying that craving.

A warning though.  The late Scholar Richard Weaver of the University of Chicago reminded us that "Ideas have Consequences".  This is a critical concept when one understands that once one commits to share something with society and others in a public community, they give up the ability to determine how the others will use or give meaning to what was created and shared.

As you can see Michel, you once again have stimulated food that we could all feed upon and ponder.

I look forward to sharing your insights with fir ends and wish you and your family greater health and prosperity for 2007 and beyond.

Dr. Ron the NicheProf