RECONCILING WITH MY PAST AS A FEAR-MONGERING MARKETER

I stumbled upon a part of myself I had long disowned and locked away: my life as a marketer who leveraged fear. This realization came to light in an unexpected way, prompting a reaction within me that I couldn't initially understand. A comment from a wise brother, helped me confront the uncomfortable truth about my former tactics and their impact. 

The simple insight—that goodness can sometimes leverage fear in meaningful ways—challenged me to reassess my past actions, and more importantly, their intentions. This comment did more than just provoke thought; it illuminated the shadows I had been avoiding, forcing me to face the part of myself I was deeply ashamed of and had condemned to be evil.

As I delved deeper into this aspect of my past, I recognized that my initial reaction to the comment was a reflection of my inner conflict. I had been so focused on distancing myself from my previous marketing practices that I failed to see the potential for growth and learning they held. My journey wasn't about erasing this part of my past but about understanding it and integrating it.

As an expert in fearmongering, I knew that using fear as a primary tool to motivate and educate was the most efficient way to change human behavior. I had leveraged it to drive purchase intention of consumers across many industries, and even coined the term “frame breaker” to promote such tactics. When we as consumers consumers are confronted with a new problem, we become convinced that we have been making the wrong choices, and are forced to break our frame of reference to accept the new found truth, and ultimately to change our behavior by purchasing the next product. I became disgusted by this identity that forced people into buying products that they did not need. However, I did not understand that even fear can also be an opportunity for unity and growth, provided that the underlying intention is to bring people together, not drive them apart.

This realization helped me see that the discernment of truth is not about whether it leverages fear, but whether it creates division or emphasizes differences. Truth, will always seek to unify.

Reflecting on the valuable lesson, I can now use this knowledge to better serve others. By addressing innate fears that people may be ignoring, we can help them in healthy, constructive ways. As long as our intention is to foster unity, it will help those who require some tough love to see the truth.

Thanks to this understanding, I have reconciled with one of my darkest shadows, and have found a more meaningful way to serve others.