The Lighter Side - Trust in a Bottle
I was in the airport recently for a trip to Baltimore and grabbed a few magazines at the newsstand. One of these magazines, Science Illustrated, had lots of colorful pictures which I thought would be perfect for mindless tarmac sitting.
As I was flipping through the pages a picture of a bottle of Liquid Trust caught my eye. Liquid Trust a blend of water, alcohol, and Oxytocin is suppose to make people more trusting of you with a few squirts. It’s easy enough to find just go to Amazon.com and one can buy a less than one ounce bottle of Liquid Trust for $30.
A Squirt Will Do Ya
Also accompanying the small note about Liquid Trust was an article on Oxytocin (unfortunately the article isn’t posted on the internet). Oxytocin is best known for its role in female reproduction. However, it is also being studied for its role in communication and bonding particularly the possibility of helping those with communication impairments like autism and social disorders. A few studies using Oxytocin have been shown to increase one’s trust in other people…hence I'm guessing the reason someone created Liquid Trust. Just a few squirts and your business associates will start trusting you more.
Wow, just think of the potential. No more sales pitches of having to actually quantify the value of your product or service. No more endless training sessions on influence without authority…you’d have all the authority. Just a few squirts and your word will be taken for gospel.
Tarmac Dreaming
As I daydreamed on the tarmac a few problems start to enter my mind. If it causes others to be more trusting wouldn’t you be more trusting as well. If a customer said “I just can’t afford that price” wouldn’t you be more willing to trust them and maybe lower your price without any push back or reduction in services or price. Hmm. I wonder if one could spray others instead of yourself? What about an anti-trust potion? You’d spray on Liquid Trust while drinking an anti serum potion. That way others would be more trusting but maybe you’d be exempt.
The Next Superhero
Maybe this could lead to another Marvel Comic super hero like the Green Lantern or Superman. Instead of super strength one could have super positive communication powers. Then Disney (who recently purchased Marvel) could create a whole new theme park where one doesn’t fear communication but where say husbands and wives could come and enjoy the land of “Open and Honest Communication”.
The possibilities are endless. Well, according to the article they say the product is unproven to have any effect on trust behavior. Bummer. I guess I wasted 15 minutes that I could’ve been reading “How to Win Friends & Influence People”.