Frequent Flyer Viruses
May 28, 1999 | 10:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 4
Frequent Flyer Viruses
[I thought you moight be interested in this latest article from my "Meme Update" newsletter.--Richard]
Frequent Flyer Programs
If you want to see an example of a designer virus that was created for a simple purpose and got WAY out of control, take a look at frequent flyer programs. It all started 20 years ago.
If you were going to fly in the US 20 years ago, there were lots of factors you might take into consideration when deciding which airline to fly, but basically it was all under the control of a government agency, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). Airlines had a nice deal back then: they were pretty much guaranteed profitability. If you wanted to fly from Seattle to New York, you just picked an airline that flew that route, made a reservation, and got on the plane. Prices were largely determined by the CAB, and generally made some sort of sense based on the distance involved.
Then came the airline deregulation of the late 70s. The CAB was eliminated, and where airlines could fly (and what they could charge) was more or less up to them. With deregulation, not only could competitors start eating into the most profitable routes, but now just about anybody could start an airline! Something had to be done to ensure that airlines kept their profitable business customers and gave them a reason to fly one airline over another.
What happened at American Airlines in 1981 is a legend in the information technology industry. The CEO of American Airlines, Bob Crandall, was talking to the guy who headed up the Information Technology department, Max Hopper. It was a typical lunchroom conversation. "How do we get people to fly on us given that we no longer have this built-in profitability?" Hopper had been thinking about a way. The idea was that if you flew a certain number of flights on AA, you'd get a free flight. Because this was designed to give them an advantage, they called it AAdvantage. Now no great technology was needed to perform this feat. If you remember back in those days, it was all done with little pieces of paper that you turned in with your ticket.
Needless to say, AAdvantage was a huge success. Everybody was talking about it. So United, in about six weeks, responded with Mileage Plus. It was a similar plan, but with a variation based on the length of the trip: if you flew a certain number of miles, you got a free ticket. By 1983, it had started to steamroll. The award schedule went on for pages. They really didn't know what they were doing. They were in a hurry and didn't put a lot of thought into it. But accidentally, they put in a lot of good memes.
First of all, they set up the idea of a CHALLENGE. People -- especially the type of people who fly a lot, high-level businessmen -- love a challenge. "Hey, I've flown 100,000 miles." "I've flown 200,000!" Just mailing people the statistics set up the framework for a competition. But that was only the beginning. The thing that really took off was the idea that for cashing a certain amount of miles -- 10,000 in the beginning -- you could upgrade to first class. I don't think they really thought that upgrades would be such a big draw, but they started to appeal to the idea of ELITENESS. Coach became more and more of a cattle car and upgrades gave people a way of getting OUT of coach.
I don't know who came up with it first, but the idea of LEVELS in frequent-flyer programs really appeals to people who have grown up in the Boy Scouts, the Army, or corporate ladders. What do you get when you climb the ladder? It doesn't really matter. United's 100K-mile level (they call it "1K" for unknown reasons) hardly gives you any benefits over their 50K level, but want it we do (even me!) As we know from Virus of the Mind, people love to climb in a status hierarchy. Napoleon said, "A man will gladly give his life for a shred of cloth and a scrap of metal." How surprised should we be, then, to find we're willing to connect in Denver in December for the prospect of a gold-colored plastic card and the lofty title of "Premier Executive," "Platinum Medallion" or "Chairman's Preferred"? It's the modern equivalent of the aristocracy!
As the virus mutated out of control, it became a much bigger part of airline operations than anyone had ever imagined. One thing the airlines weren't expecting is accruing a whole lot of liability in the form of unredeemed miles on people's accounts. Enter expiring miles. They pissed off a lot of their most loyal customers, and now we're back to non-expiring miles, especially for the best customers. And you know what? A lot of those people are never going to redeem their miles. They're just in it for the memes.
The people who invented it, at American, now wish it would all go away. Flights to Hawaii are a third full of unpaying customers. Millions are spent on collateral material. But they are now a slave to the virus they created. If American stopped offering AAdvantage tomorrow, a million of their best customers would flee to competitors in a heartbeat. Even Southwest has to have it! Now when best friends travel together, they argue over which airline to fly! And through these programs the airlines have also created a feeling of entitlement. As a Gold member, I like to be treated like gold. There's nowhere to go but down. In the beginning it was American AAdvantage. Now it's BreAAk Even.
I have been a member of United Airlines Mileage Plus for 17 years. I correspond with other frequent fliers on the FlyerTalk bulletin board and listen to stories of the lengths people go to feed their mileage addiction. (One bulletin board contributor even goes by the handle "Mileage Addict.") It is not at all uncommon for people to make extra connections, fly from Seattle to London via Washington, D.C., or even take an around-the-world trip in order to retain their status at the top of the elite ladder. In most of the programs, it takes 100,000 actual flight miles per calendar year to achieve top status. But when you get there, are the rewards commensurate with the effort expended and loyalty shown? Or is there only fools gold at the end of the rainbow?
A little of both. United, the world's biggest airline, has a few perks reserved for their 100K flyers: special service desks in some airports to handle canceled flights and missed connections; waiver of that annoying $75 change fee in some cases for domestic flights; and the most important benefit, first priority on upgrades from the ever-more-sardine-can-like coach cabin into the tolerable front of the plane. But, really, it's nothing that money can't buy, and you have to begin to wonder how much of a chunk of your life you want to devote to bending over backwards to achieve the highest levels of these programs. Would you fly 8 hours out of your way for $200? Would you do it for 10,000 frequent flyer miles? What is your time worth to you?
The FF programs are one of a class of cultural institutions that have evolved to give us the illusion of power, status, and security. These are experiences we all crave to one degree or another, because in evolutionary history craving these things led to an improved chance of survival and reproduction. There is nothing wrong with enjoying these feelings. What is productive, though, is to ask yourself if this is the most valuable way to enjoy those feelings. In other words, can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?
Frequent flyer links:
The WebFlyer from Inside Flyer Magazine: http://www.webflyer.com
FlyerTalk Bulletin Board: http://www.flyertalk.com/forumcgi/Ultimate.cgi
The Airline Mileage Workshop: http://www.mileageworkshop.com
All the best memes,
Richard
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This is Richard Brodie's Meme Update Newsletter. To subscribe/unsubscribe, mailto:[email protected] with "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the message body. This is an automated list server, so you must send ONLY those words exactly as written. If you're having trouble, email [email protected] and I'll help.
Meme Central has links to lots of interesting things having to do with self-replicating ideas: http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm
You can order books mentioned here and others through the Amazon.com Memetics Bookstore at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/books.htm
My book VIRUS OF THE MIND is now in its fifth printing (thanks Oprah!) You can read the first chapter on line at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm
Spread the meme! Forward this copy of Meme Update to others who need to know about memes!
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Frequent Flyer Programs
If you want to see an example of a designer virus that was created for a simple purpose and got WAY out of control, take a look at frequent flyer programs. It all started 20 years ago.
If you were going to fly in the US 20 years ago, there were lots of factors you might take into consideration when deciding which airline to fly, but basically it was all under the control of a government agency, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). Airlines had a nice deal back then: they were pretty much guaranteed profitability. If you wanted to fly from Seattle to New York, you just picked an airline that flew that route, made a reservation, and got on the plane. Prices were largely determined by the CAB, and generally made some sort of sense based on the distance involved.
Then came the airline deregulation of the late 70s. The CAB was eliminated, and where airlines could fly (and what they could charge) was more or less up to them. With deregulation, not only could competitors start eating into the most profitable routes, but now just about anybody could start an airline! Something had to be done to ensure that airlines kept their profitable business customers and gave them a reason to fly one airline over another.
What happened at American Airlines in 1981 is a legend in the information technology industry. The CEO of American Airlines, Bob Crandall, was talking to the guy who headed up the Information Technology department, Max Hopper. It was a typical lunchroom conversation. "How do we get people to fly on us given that we no longer have this built-in profitability?" Hopper had been thinking about a way. The idea was that if you flew a certain number of flights on AA, you'd get a free flight. Because this was designed to give them an advantage, they called it AAdvantage. Now no great technology was needed to perform this feat. If you remember back in those days, it was all done with little pieces of paper that you turned in with your ticket.
Needless to say, AAdvantage was a huge success. Everybody was talking about it. So United, in about six weeks, responded with Mileage Plus. It was a similar plan, but with a variation based on the length of the trip: if you flew a certain number of miles, you got a free ticket. By 1983, it had started to steamroll. The award schedule went on for pages. They really didn't know what they were doing. They were in a hurry and didn't put a lot of thought into it. But accidentally, they put in a lot of good memes.
First of all, they set up the idea of a CHALLENGE. People -- especially the type of people who fly a lot, high-level businessmen -- love a challenge. "Hey, I've flown 100,000 miles." "I've flown 200,000!" Just mailing people the statistics set up the framework for a competition. But that was only the beginning. The thing that really took off was the idea that for cashing a certain amount of miles -- 10,000 in the beginning -- you could upgrade to first class. I don't think they really thought that upgrades would be such a big draw, but they started to appeal to the idea of ELITENESS. Coach became more and more of a cattle car and upgrades gave people a way of getting OUT of coach.
I don't know who came up with it first, but the idea of LEVELS in frequent-flyer programs really appeals to people who have grown up in the Boy Scouts, the Army, or corporate ladders. What do you get when you climb the ladder? It doesn't really matter. United's 100K-mile level (they call it "1K" for unknown reasons) hardly gives you any benefits over their 50K level, but want it we do (even me!) As we know from Virus of the Mind, people love to climb in a status hierarchy. Napoleon said, "A man will gladly give his life for a shred of cloth and a scrap of metal." How surprised should we be, then, to find we're willing to connect in Denver in December for the prospect of a gold-colored plastic card and the lofty title of "Premier Executive," "Platinum Medallion" or "Chairman's Preferred"? It's the modern equivalent of the aristocracy!
As the virus mutated out of control, it became a much bigger part of airline operations than anyone had ever imagined. One thing the airlines weren't expecting is accruing a whole lot of liability in the form of unredeemed miles on people's accounts. Enter expiring miles. They pissed off a lot of their most loyal customers, and now we're back to non-expiring miles, especially for the best customers. And you know what? A lot of those people are never going to redeem their miles. They're just in it for the memes.
The people who invented it, at American, now wish it would all go away. Flights to Hawaii are a third full of unpaying customers. Millions are spent on collateral material. But they are now a slave to the virus they created. If American stopped offering AAdvantage tomorrow, a million of their best customers would flee to competitors in a heartbeat. Even Southwest has to have it! Now when best friends travel together, they argue over which airline to fly! And through these programs the airlines have also created a feeling of entitlement. As a Gold member, I like to be treated like gold. There's nowhere to go but down. In the beginning it was American AAdvantage. Now it's BreAAk Even.
I have been a member of United Airlines Mileage Plus for 17 years. I correspond with other frequent fliers on the FlyerTalk bulletin board and listen to stories of the lengths people go to feed their mileage addiction. (One bulletin board contributor even goes by the handle "Mileage Addict.") It is not at all uncommon for people to make extra connections, fly from Seattle to London via Washington, D.C., or even take an around-the-world trip in order to retain their status at the top of the elite ladder. In most of the programs, it takes 100,000 actual flight miles per calendar year to achieve top status. But when you get there, are the rewards commensurate with the effort expended and loyalty shown? Or is there only fools gold at the end of the rainbow?
A little of both. United, the world's biggest airline, has a few perks reserved for their 100K flyers: special service desks in some airports to handle canceled flights and missed connections; waiver of that annoying $75 change fee in some cases for domestic flights; and the most important benefit, first priority on upgrades from the ever-more-sardine-can-like coach cabin into the tolerable front of the plane. But, really, it's nothing that money can't buy, and you have to begin to wonder how much of a chunk of your life you want to devote to bending over backwards to achieve the highest levels of these programs. Would you fly 8 hours out of your way for $200? Would you do it for 10,000 frequent flyer miles? What is your time worth to you?
The FF programs are one of a class of cultural institutions that have evolved to give us the illusion of power, status, and security. These are experiences we all crave to one degree or another, because in evolutionary history craving these things led to an improved chance of survival and reproduction. There is nothing wrong with enjoying these feelings. What is productive, though, is to ask yourself if this is the most valuable way to enjoy those feelings. In other words, can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?
Frequent flyer links:
The WebFlyer from Inside Flyer Magazine: http://www.webflyer.com
FlyerTalk Bulletin Board: http://www.flyertalk.com/forumcgi/Ultimate.cgi
The Airline Mileage Workshop: http://www.mileageworkshop.com
All the best memes,
Richard
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This is Richard Brodie's Meme Update Newsletter. To subscribe/unsubscribe, mailto:[email protected] with "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the message body. This is an automated list server, so you must send ONLY those words exactly as written. If you're having trouble, email [email protected] and I'll help.
Meme Central has links to lots of interesting things having to do with self-replicating ideas: http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm
You can order books mentioned here and others through the Amazon.com Memetics Bookstore at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/books.htm
My book VIRUS OF THE MIND is now in its fifth printing (thanks Oprah!) You can read the first chapter on line at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm
Spread the meme! Forward this copy of Meme Update to others who need to know about memes!
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May 28, 1999 | 11:42 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Some good philosophical points, but maybe also a case of sour grapes.
Some notable omissions for 1K perks: the extra one way confirmed upgrade certificates, complimentary upgrades on Shuttle flights, and the 1K lounges in the hubs. I miss them all.
Would I take an extra weekend getaway, expending time and money to get to 1K - YES. Would I be obsessed about making it to 1K - NO.
Some notable omissions for 1K perks: the extra one way confirmed upgrade certificates, complimentary upgrades on Shuttle flights, and the 1K lounges in the hubs. I miss them all.
Would I take an extra weekend getaway, expending time and money to get to 1K - YES. Would I be obsessed about making it to 1K - NO.
May 28, 1999 | 11:57 am
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AS, UA Premier Silver, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,723
Sour grapes is right! I'm not sure there are too many people on these boards (if any) who will travel 8 hours out of their way for $200 or 10,000 miles. But leaving out of IAD for double miles as opposed to DCA (about 1/2 hour extra for me) is well worth it. And I certainly wouldn't spend thousands of dollars to make an elite level, but if it takes a weekend trip on a E-fare of $79, again, it's worth it. Ditto for applying for credit cards I really don't need but that come with huge bonus mile offers.
My time is worth something (a lot actually), but so is free travel. It continues to amaze me that there are a number of people (perhaps Mr. Brodie included) who say they can't be bothered with collecting and tracking miles/points and then whine profusely when others are taking free trips. Too bad I say, it's your loss!
My time is worth something (a lot actually), but so is free travel. It continues to amaze me that there are a number of people (perhaps Mr. Brodie included) who say they can't be bothered with collecting and tracking miles/points and then whine profusely when others are taking free trips. Too bad I say, it's your loss!
May 28, 1999 | 12:39 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,043
I think we know each other Richard from this board - and if my memory is correct you are quite happy to get some valuable informations on "how to make it" and @how to get upgraded yourself on planes and hotels.
But thank you for letting us read your article anyway.
[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 05-29-99).]
But thank you for letting us read your article anyway.
[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 05-29-99).]
May 28, 1999 | 12:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 675
Indeed. Companies want more money. They attract money their way by getting people to be loyal by giving rewards. Many take advantage of those rewards and give money back to the company. Not everyone can or is willing to take advantage of those rewards. But why should that be license for those people you cannot or will not to be sour about it? This is a capitalist country (which to some, capitalism may be a virus)...but if you don't like it, hey, there's always China.
May the mime be with you.
------------------
g'day
wl
May the mime be with you.
------------------
g'day
wl
May 28, 1999 | 2:01 pm
#7
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
AN OMNI RESPONSE...
Richard, I would NOT consider Frequent Flyer programs like a Virus. We are NOT addicted to getting the most miles... we have something called LIVES.. and the traveling is just one part of this.
MileKing is right... I can't imagine many people flying many miles out of the way just to get a few miles.
I'd like to ask you Richard:
*How OFTEN do you fly?
*Where do you fly (Seattle-Portland) or around the nation or the world?
*How many Frequent Flyer programs (if any) do you belong to, and are you elite with any of them?
And your closing remarks struck me...
You write: "can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?"
Well, the frequent flyer travel allows me to earn miles for upgrades (OK call me pretentious) and allows me to get away every once in awhile from my "real" world.
It allows me to travel more. The travel improves my mental health, helps me meet new people, expand my mind.
Ok it's not as tanagable as finding a cure for a serious disease and it's self natured but Travel gives me something of lasting value: a complete, good and happy life.
Don't take my remarks the wrong way. I appreciate you speaking out. Just expressing one individual opinion!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
Richard, I would NOT consider Frequent Flyer programs like a Virus. We are NOT addicted to getting the most miles... we have something called LIVES.. and the traveling is just one part of this.
MileKing is right... I can't imagine many people flying many miles out of the way just to get a few miles.
I'd like to ask you Richard:
*How OFTEN do you fly?
*Where do you fly (Seattle-Portland) or around the nation or the world?
*How many Frequent Flyer programs (if any) do you belong to, and are you elite with any of them?
And your closing remarks struck me...
You write: "can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?"
Well, the frequent flyer travel allows me to earn miles for upgrades (OK call me pretentious) and allows me to get away every once in awhile from my "real" world.
It allows me to travel more. The travel improves my mental health, helps me meet new people, expand my mind.
Ok it's not as tanagable as finding a cure for a serious disease and it's self natured but Travel gives me something of lasting value: a complete, good and happy life.
Don't take my remarks the wrong way. I appreciate you speaking out. Just expressing one individual opinion!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
May 28, 1999 | 2:56 pm
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: OMNI Award Winner, Recipient: Ol' Goal Personal Sootkase Tag Award. The Very Special Punki Authentic PiP Sootkase Tag, Pin, & T-Shirt. .........PRE-
Posts: 3,110
arturo themk thes knot ownly sower gripes, butt a viry bad comershal fer R.B. Rishard B. kneed sum publisity an he use thes board to git et. he post massage bout frecwent fliers an evrywon hear reed et kaus thet wat we lik. butt arturo knotise thet RB refer two weeb sites an hes buuk.
arturo knot kno bout other peepl hear, butt arturo sea threw RB lik he saran rap. RB thes knot comershal board. yur storie fine bout gras hopper an recherd krendell, but arturo knot lik yur comershal an yur ettitude. guud theng yu werk fore yurselph an knot arturo, caus arturo fire yu.
elso, caus of mils an evrytheng, randy now hav beeg megasine an knice jusy job, an other peepl hav dunn same theng. ef knot fer mils, randi stell bee renting rafts on beech.
arturo knot kno bout other peepl hear, butt arturo sea threw RB lik he saran rap. RB thes knot comershal board. yur storie fine bout gras hopper an recherd krendell, but arturo knot lik yur comershal an yur ettitude. guud theng yu werk fore yurselph an knot arturo, caus arturo fire yu.
elso, caus of mils an evrytheng, randy now hav beeg megasine an knice jusy job, an other peepl hav dunn same theng. ef knot fer mils, randi stell bee renting rafts on beech.
May 28, 1999 | 4:33 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Downtown Los Angeles 🏙️
Programs: FT Member # 642
Posts: 4,386
Arturo, I must confess that you are a pretty juicy guy. You make me laugh. You make me want to leave PremEx for you. Why don't you check out his itinerary and come see me when he's out of town? In fact, if you decide to go to the PiP, I'll quit my job and PremEx, and we'll have our own "party" in paradise! You're mucho sauvee in my buuk.
May 28, 1999 | 5:03 pm
#10
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
That was the most intelligent post you have put on her Arturo (although the spelling and grammar and punctuation leave something to be desired.) But you are a cat so I still love you YAZ! 
---------------------------------------------
See, even my cat Yaz (AKA Arturo) was bothered by that Richard post.
OMNI: Welcome to the boards Wingless and I hope things change and you can join all of us in the Party In paradise. Hope to meet you soon. PremEx is a lucky guy and a great buddy of the Cats!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 05-28-99).]
---------------------------------------------
See, even my cat Yaz (AKA Arturo) was bothered by that Richard post.
OMNI: Welcome to the boards Wingless and I hope things change and you can join all of us in the Party In paradise. Hope to meet you soon. PremEx is a lucky guy and a great buddy of the Cats!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 05-28-99).]
May 28, 1999 | 5:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Plat for Life, SPG Plat, United Silver, given up on Skypesos for good
Posts: 303
Although the article offers some interesting thoughts, the airlines do not want the programs to go away. Airlines selling of their miles, most notably to credit card companies is a very profitable business for them.
May 28, 1999 | 5:25 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Million Miler (mostly earned on CO)
Posts: 2,599
>>FF programs are one of a class of cultural institutions that have evolved to give us the illusion of power, status, and security. These are experiences we all crave to one degree or another, because in evolutionary history craving these things led to an improved chance of survival and reproduction. There is nothing wrong with enjoying these feelings. What is productive, though, is to ask yourself if this is the most valuable way to enjoy those feelings. In other words, can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?
Balderdash. FF programs provide real benefits. 2 examples:
1. My platinum elite status on CO allows me to upgrade for free on nearly every flight I take. Sitting in first makes flying a heck of a lot more comfortable - makes the experience pleasurable instead of being an ordeal.
2. For the greater part of last year, I carried on a long distance relationship. We were able to get together nearly every other week, despite a distance of 1500 miles between us, thanks to free tickets earned on FF programs.
The gist of RB's article seems to be that the primary benefit of FF programs is status and power (and that the status and power are illusory). He ignores the fact that there are real benefits to be derived by frequent flyers from intelligent participation in the programs.
Balderdash. FF programs provide real benefits. 2 examples:
1. My platinum elite status on CO allows me to upgrade for free on nearly every flight I take. Sitting in first makes flying a heck of a lot more comfortable - makes the experience pleasurable instead of being an ordeal.
2. For the greater part of last year, I carried on a long distance relationship. We were able to get together nearly every other week, despite a distance of 1500 miles between us, thanks to free tickets earned on FF programs.
The gist of RB's article seems to be that the primary benefit of FF programs is status and power (and that the status and power are illusory). He ignores the fact that there are real benefits to be derived by frequent flyers from intelligent participation in the programs.
May 29, 1999 | 1:06 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 1,023
Deconstructing the meaning behind FF programs is a relatively simple thing to do. I'm sure we have all seen several similar articles in the mass media over the past few years (Wallpaper* two months ago comes to mind).
The collection of FF miles and status has parallels with the joy/frustration we experience in shopping the retail sales - a modern day manifestation of the hunter gatherer instinct. Does this awareness mean I am likely to stop collecting miles? Probably not. The responses posted thus far show that most people, on this board at least, participate in the programs with their eyes wide open and have fairly pragmatic reasons for their "obsession". In my own case I've been able to provide free travel and upgrades for myself, my family and friends.
I enjoy the intellectual discourse but I object to the judgmental overtones contained in statements like "... can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?". What objective yardstick does Richard Brodie possess that can measure value? Of course, the only yardstick we can use is our own.
The collection of FF miles and status has parallels with the joy/frustration we experience in shopping the retail sales - a modern day manifestation of the hunter gatherer instinct. Does this awareness mean I am likely to stop collecting miles? Probably not. The responses posted thus far show that most people, on this board at least, participate in the programs with their eyes wide open and have fairly pragmatic reasons for their "obsession". In my own case I've been able to provide free travel and upgrades for myself, my family and friends.
I enjoy the intellectual discourse but I object to the judgmental overtones contained in statements like "... can you imagine putting the time, money and energy into some other endeavor that not only gives you a sense of power, status, and security, but also puts you on the path to creating something of lasting value?". What objective yardstick does Richard Brodie possess that can measure value? Of course, the only yardstick we can use is our own.
May 29, 1999 | 10:12 am
#15
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: America Central
Programs: CO Gold, AA Gold, HH Diamond, IC Plat Ambassador
Posts: 936
Well said (I think) Arturo!
Wingless -- welcome to the board tho methinks Mr. Love had tremendous editorial input with your first posting!
Wingless -- welcome to the board tho methinks Mr. Love had tremendous editorial input with your first posting!