WIIFM

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What's in it for me? Wiifm, pronounced " whiffum." In other words, it's asking, "What do I get out of it?" or "What is the rate of return?"

It is the single most driving force of how this world works. It always has been, and it always will be. But I think most of you have never realized it.

Did you know that a person is more likely to make a charitable donation if there is something in it for him, no matter how small. That's why Girl Scout cookies, and school fundraisers giving useless calendars away, are great sources of funds. And, the better rate of return on your money, the more apt you are to give it away. Something. Anything. Few of us hesitate to give our money away without a Wiifm. There is something about it that makes you want to part with your money to get in return, 25 cents worth of popcorn in a pretty container.

And Wiifm is the driving force of all wars. It's not about right vs wrong, dethroning evildoers like Hitler or Hussein. There is always will be a Wiifm for somebody. Power. Fame. Fortune. Something.

And, it is there on the receiving end of the stick as well. Sell your Savior for a small bag of stuff. Forgive the soldier that killed your parents for a chocolate bar. Receive a better grade for leaving an apple on the desk. Or, get that promotion for spreading your legs.

Sometimes, Wiifm is hard to spot. Other times, it is obvious. It's almost always camouflaged. But, I can almost assure you that it is there, somewhere. And, Wiifm is not always a bad thing, or something that benefits only a single person.

So, please take the time to look a bit closer at things before you buy into things. Try to find the Wiffm in Global Warming. How about socialized medicine, trying terrorists in a civilian court, bowing to a foreign leader, denouncing America, maintaining friendships with criminals, racists, and communists? Where is the Wiifm in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, or Israel? What about energy conservation, or Cap and Trade concepts?

Need help? Just ask the Thought Dock.
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