Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Giving the FInger

Power Line has been all over the remarks by Indra Nooyi, president and CFO of PepsiCo, at the Columbia Business School graduation.

Nooyi likened the globe to the human hand with Asia as the thumb, Africa as the pinky finger, etc. The United States was represented by the middle finger. Sayeth Nooyi:
However, if used inappropriately--just like the U.S. itself--the middle finger can convey a negative message and get us in trouble. You know what I’m talking about. In fact, I suspect you’re hoping that I’ll demonstrate what I mean. And trust me, I’m not looking for volunteers to model.

Discretion being the better part of valor ... I think I’ll pass.

What is most crucial to my analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents, is that each of us in the U.S. – the long middle finger – must be careful that when we extend our arm in either a business or political sense, we take pains to assure we are giving a hand ... not the finger. Sometimes this is very difficult. Because the U.S. – the middle finger – sticks out so much, we can send the wrong message unintentionally.

Unfortunately, I think this is how the rest of the world looks at the U.S. right now. Not as part of the hand – giving strength and purpose to the rest of the fingers – but, instead, scratching our nose and sending a far different signal.

Makes me proud to be a Coke drinker.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This just confirms my impression of them. I was a tax consultant for them a few years ago and felt pity for their employees. Their only saving grace that kept me there for 3 months was their serving Taco Bell 3 days a week in their cafeteria at cheap prices.

Anonymous said...

Darn it! Diet Pepsi with lime is really, really good. Now it's ruined for me.

Anonymous said...

off topic post:
you mean the finger......

http://www.francesucks.com/

That Dude said...

N.S.T.,
Don't put Screamin' A Smith on Philly. Yes he is a columnist for the Inky, but he is a NY'er, not a Philly guy.

Anonymous said...

Well, we now have atop poped un-cola.