Why Geddy Can't Schmooze

Why do I read stuff like this?

There's a blogger post at IToolbox.com called "Why Geddy Can't Schmooze" that's really grinding my gears. It's written by a CEO who claims to be a huge fan of the legendary prog rock band Rush. He says he has a problem with one of the lyrics of their song 'Limelight' (which he mistakenly believes were written by lead singer and bassist Geddy Lee rather than drummer and lyricist Neil Peart).

If you're not familiar with the song, it's essentially about dealing with strangers in a very public life when you are a naturally introverted and private person. You can find the words here.

The blogger, Mike M., says he had an epiphany about the song after an intensive meet-and-greet schmoozefest he'd attended:

I used to think Geddy's anti-business lyrics cool and insightful until I, er, sold out. But on Friday, on that drive back to the airport, I was thinking about the lyrics ... where Geddy sings:

I have no heart to lie
I can't pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend

But taking a genuine interest in others is a great way to help establish a long term business relationship. It disarms people and softens the edges if tough negotiations follow in the future. It reminds all the business people that we are all still human...

Ah, if I could talk with Geddy I'd say, "Dude. Don't lie. Don't pretend. Just meet that stranger for real - they might turn out to be a long-awaited friend....or not."

Do you see the thing that sticks in the craw of a true introvert - one who speaks to others only to exchange information and insight?

It is the passage "Taking a genuine interest in others is a great way to help establish a long term business relationship. It disarms people and softens the edges if tough negotiations follow." That ulterior motive - the business angle - is the deal killer. It's an either/or for the introvert. If I am asking you about your hobbies, your family, etc., so I can play the "friend" card in any potentially tough business activities or even just hit you up for favors later, then I am NOT genuinely interested in you. Doesn't this schmoozer get that? Even when he's trying to sell it to you, he sows the seeds of his argument's doom within the argument!

It's not the fact that they are using each other for business purposes. That's not the introvert's problem. It's the lie that it's all about caring for your fellow man. It's not. Stop throwing words like 'genuine' around and we'll stop giving you grief about it, Mike M.

When extroverts push me to "network" I want to scream. I cannot do it. My position is, "Here's what I've got to offer. If you want it, come and get it. It's great stuff. That's the way I approach your business. Feel free to approach mine the same way. Now, I'm going to find a place to eat and read this book. Alone. And don't pretend you've read it, too. If you're genuinely interested in Theodore Roosevelt, Frank Capra movies, or C. S. Lewis, I will gladly talk to you about it at length. But I'll never buy anything from you again."

Living in the limelight, the universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation, the underlying theme