conflicts

Simplistic explanations of consumer behavior abound. Push this button, trigger that emotion, pitch to a particular need, and people will buy. The decision making process is much more complex, of course. In Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, David Eagleman includes a chapter that aptly sums up the ongoing conflict in our brains with its title: A Team of Rivals.

When I got out of engineering school, it was natural to take the competitive, intellectually show-offy mindset we all had in college into the workplace. I was developing software, and so there were constant battles to discuss how to design a certain piece of code or construct a test scenario. I remember these times fondly. The arguments were loud but respectful, and it seemed most of the time the right answer came out of them.

by: Jonathan Salem Baskin

On the eve of tonight's last Presidential debate, I though it might be interesting to muse a bit about brands and politics...and how the two influence one another.

I know a lot has been said about the amount of rancor evident at Republican rallies, which seems to have surprised even John McCain. He has found himself contending with supporters he desperately needs...emoting angry nonsense he can't tolerate.

by: John Caddell

James Surowiecki, the author of the great business book "The Wisdom of Crowds," and financial columnist for the New Yorker, takes up the HP leak scandal in his latest column, but provides a different take on the matter.