the preoccupied life raft

I couldn't tell you why she made the conscious decision to end up in the water not knowing how to swim, because she had to have at least known something about how useless preoccupied her life raft was. I mean, she was throwing the barbs in right along with the game show host about how silly this guy's book cover was. The dude's not quite solid... and she knows it... so why exactly is she still drinking this kool-aid? Was it just wishful thinking, or did she really think he was going to swim for them both?

He had wired his brain so hard with delivering his "showstopper lifestyle" pitch that he had failed to register a suddenly helpless girl begin to drown. A simple mistake in calculation due to an error in the formula—an enormous mistake, yes, but a mistake nonetheless, not much different than the near-sighted shight we all do from time to time.

That's why I'm trying not to rag hard on Shawn Valentino, because under the nonsense there is definitely an extremely likable and tolerable person. He's going to take enough of a beating from humanity, anyway, without my help.

But the scene is useful to point out the distinction between the sales pitch and the product. For the salesman—a stellar sales pitch can sell a less-stellar or even bad product. And for the consumer—you can go for a ride on a pitch, but on a pitch alone? Don't count on being carried to safety.

I blame it all on women—who frequently get caught up in the dazzle of the (sometimes truly) spectacular performance... and sometimes even by choice. They say that men think with the "other head", but let it be stated that women do this also, and just as much—maybe even more.

It should be no wonder that the men who come across this principal, and particularly those deep in longing for the suitable helper (identified as a need even in the first man—"it is not good that man should be alone"), it should be no wonder that these men sometimes drive themselves to ridiculous lengths in learning to pitch themselves. Perhaps some end up as better salesmen than others; the product remains the same.

So there you go babe... your near drowning is now all your fault. Better choices next time, yeah? God bless you.

Next question. What's more important—the product, or the pitch?