Chapter 12: There’s No Business, but Show Business
Two formally dressed men in black with strong smiles are shaking hands on a stage in front of flashing lights and reporters. A TV anchorman is informing his viewers the merger between the two communications giants is the largest ever. To the right and left of each gentlemen extends a long row of applauding business associates from each corporation. As the camera lingers they all slowly merge towards the center of the stage and begin to engulf the two men still shaking hands and posing for photographers.
Though the focus becomes more centralized, Claudia’s attention is drawn to the corner of the screen. Before she could identify the image drawing her attention, the camera director, obviously bored of the handshaking, shifts to a different camera. Yet, within seconds they have cut back to the original camera and Claudia stares at the left hand corner of the screen.
“They caught you,” she calls out at the screen. She laughs and imagines the blue streak of anger she would normally hear that evening when Austin saw the footage. Claudia laughed out loud as she watched the camera linger exposing Austin at the far edge of the screen.
“You are one handsome dog,” Claudia quips savoring the opportunity to see him. Austin is applauding, but unlike the other on-lookers he is wearing a more concerned expression. It is obvious to Claudia that Austin is mistakenly sure he is safely off-camera. She has seen that determined look before and knows he is intently watching the unfolding of one of his own publicity sessions.
Claudia finds the slight graying at the temples only adds to his already ample air of dignity. At this moment Austin looks to her like a producer standing behind the curtain analyzing every choreographed movement of his dancers to detect the least flaw to be resolved before the next performance.
While most people craved to be on TV Austin made it a life goal to stay out of the line of the cameras, to be the man behind the curtain. Seldom did a week go by where Austin wasn’t in the same room as television cameras or photographers, yet he had only been caught on film a handful of times.
Most of his colleagues had their houses and offices filled with photographs of themselves with political and corporate dignitaries. Austin, on the other hand, displayed only a few personal photos of Claudia and him. He kept the few photos he had taken of himself with political and corporate leaders locked away in a strongbox in the closet.
Though he relished being known in the public relations and business world, he wished to remain unknown to the general public. Austin believed his present and future success depended on his remaining anonymous. He felt once you enter the public arena, your celebrity status limits the influence you can have on society.
Claudia remembers him once explaining, “Once the public knows you, your continued effectiveness depends on maintaining popularity. The choices a celebrity makes, whether they be a movie star, author or politician, becomes increasingly directed by public opinion.”
“When you succeed at avoiding the scrutiny of the public eye,” he maintained, “you are free to influence society on your own terms, uncontaminated by fame or social pressure.”
So convinced of the dangers and harms of public exposure Austin made it a stipulation of anyone doing business with him, that they never mention his name in any press release or news article. His obsession with remaining anonymous was a well accepted fact in the media world. By this time almost every photographer in the world had given up on the idea of publishing any photo which included his face. If Austin was even peripherally visible in a photo it was deemed flawed and another photo would be substituted.
Though Austin admitted the influence of politicians, movie stars and other celebrities could be substantial, he asserted the true power and influence resided in those willing to stay behind the scenes. Austin believed fame was a form of fad and fads always go out of style.
“The world of power” he once said, “belongs to the anonymous world populated by speech writers, government planners, lobbyists and perceptual managers. It is these individuals functioning in business and politics who write the script we all improvise off.”
Austin claimed the power of this elite group of people was almost beyond one’s imagination. The elite themselves underestimate their influence and are occasionally shocked at the impact their actions have on the functioning of the entire globe. These people are the news and opinion brokers who protect the economic and military interests of our whole system of free enterprise.
Claudia remembered the story Austin told regarding the meeting his friend Jack Tyler claimed to have witnessed. Jack had been an advisor to a couple of presidents. He recalled how shortly after being sworn into office a meeting was called to be held in the oval office. The president outlined his objectives with a number of government planners. Almost every time the president opened his mouth one planner or another would interrupt him and explain why what he wanted couldn’t be done.
It didn’t matter if the issue was domestic or international, social or economic. Whenever he stated an objective someone would say, “Mr. President, if we were to do such-and-such than this country would be insulted or that business deal would have to be revoked.”
The point of the story was that when a president arrives in office they are unaware of all the pieces of the game already in place. A president does have power, but they must accommodate their goals and desires to the real world already in existence. A world mainly formed by the government planners and the other anonymous elite. Presidents and all popular figures come and go, but the planners are there day after day, decade after decade.
A president’s first task according to Jack Tyler is to modify his campaign platform with the reality of the world he inherited. This is why presidents often seem to change their positions or significantly modify the importance of their campaign promises within weeks of taking office. Jack claimed a favorite strategy of presidents is to dish off an untenable reform or cause on their spouse. Within weeks of taking office First Ladies have been saddled with such infeasible causes as health care reform and poverty, to drug wars and environmental issues.
Claudia found it refreshing to get a glimpse of Austin in his element. There he was, looking like a doting father, watching his baby perform. His eyes fixed on each move, and his mind preparing for every possible outcome.
On a couple of occasions she had stood next to Austin during these productions and was always amazed at how far his mind thought ahead. He reminded her of a chess master who thinks six or seven moves ahead modifying his projections with every perception. Austin took in the entire scene, no expression, angle, gesture or change went unnoticed.
Knowing how Austin understated his importance, Claudia wondered how close he was to being one of the elite who shape the world. Maybe, some already considered him one. Claudia wasn’t sure, but she knew he seemed to do everything he ascribed to the elite. He was a script writer who fashioned public opinion, created news and changed the direction of public affairs, all from the comfort of the shadows.
Over the last few years she had noticed that more and more of his time was spent with the world’s most prominent political and commercial leaders. It was not surprising to see him choreographing the ceremony announcing the largest telecommunications merger in history. Actually, it would have been more surprising to learn such a transaction was taking place without his involvement.
Claudia picks up the envelope and looks at the postmark. Seeing it was mailed in Chicago she says to herself, “Here I was imagining you were seated at home waiting for my call and I see you on TV traipsing all over the world.”
She knows she shouldn’t call Austin until she can explain to him why she left. Claudia believes the time has come for her to figure out why she left. It’s not like she’s totally in the dark, but every time she thinks about her leaving, it just doesn’t seem to add up. Yet, she feels it was the best thing to do, and is sure sufficient reasons do exist.
Claudia knows it has something to do with how Austin does business. Though she understands an element of secrecy is needed in any form of persuasion, she just wishes Austin could be a little more direct, a little more honest with the public. Whenever she brought these concerns to him, he did have reasonable arguments.
On more than one occasion he explained how public relations began by being honest with people, with presenting them with cold facts. He gave example after example of how ineffective this method was, how it bored and turned-off people. Yet, success was almost certain to follow the moment logic was dispensed with and substituted with appeals to the heart. The public bored and confused by logic, were motivated by images, pictures and fervent testimonials. Leaders quickly learned the public distrusted their heads and ears, but felt no hesitation in following their hearts.
While Austin believed it was possible to be totally honest with individuals, he felt it was all but useless trying to be he honest to groups of people. She recalls one conversation it particular when Austin claimed, “Groups bring out the worst in people. Even before I got into high school I learned to stay away from groups, or at least to alter my behavior when I dealt with groups. Once in a group, even my best friends could become cruel to me or pressured into doing the worst things”.
Austin talked about how public relations and social psychology books written at the turn of the 20th century focused on discussing the difference between the “crowd” and the “public”. The crowd was a natural phenomenon, while the public was created by media.
The crowd, the free assembly of people, often resorted to mob rule, and brought out the worst in people. In the crowd, psychologists pointed out, individuals can act out their darkest fantasies anonymously. In crowds, people react to their fears and prejudices without feeling guilty. Weaker individuals use the company of the crowd to behave in ways they’d be embarrassed to on their own.
Since it is easier to destroy rather than create, crowds seldom do constructive things but more often are used to vent frustration, anger and hatred. Austin pointed out how often fans express anger and become violent at sporting events, how loyal fans often “hate” their rivals. Most of the fans who yell at the referees and officials would not do so if they weren’t protected by the anonymity of the crowd. He also thought it was telling how victory celebrations often turned violent, how even in their moment of greatest joy the crowd found a way to express hatred and be destructive.
On the other hand, each person sitting in his living room reading a newspaper or watching TV, is a member of the public. They are able to be talked to, entertained and influenced without the negative influence of the group. While we learn about the crowd through demonstrations and rallies, and other emotionally charged events distorting one’s reason, we learn about the public through polls, questionnaires and interviews. Austin believes the communication with the public is more personal and honest than trying to communicate with a crowd.
When Claudia contested the honesty aspect of public relations pointing out how deceptive the standard form of persuasion was, Austin replied that the persuasion techniques used on the public are generally harmless. He said even the most inflammatory persuasion technique seldom inspired the least bit of violence, while the same technique delivered to a crowd would result in utter chaos.
Playing this back in her mind, Claudia began to feel she was on to something. The feelings she was having while thinking these thoughts were similar to the one’s which caused her to leave. If she were to follow this line of thought further, she was sure she would discover the root of her discontent. If she explored these thoughts, she was sure she’d find the words to explain to Austin why she needed to leave.
Yet, now her mind was turning to jelly. She felt emotionally tired and mentally exhausted. Claudia had no doubt these thoughts would be there tomorrow, and since Austin was miles away she saw no reason to hurry.
The quick glimpse of Austin on the screen left her hungry for more. Claudia walked over to the bedroom closet and took down a box full of photo albums. Though she had plenty of discs full of photos she could play on the TV screen, she preferred the intimacy of curling up on the couch and holding the photos in her hand.
She decided to look at the most recent photos and work her way back to the beginning. The moment she started to look at the photos she felt rejuvenated and secure. As she looked at the photos she realized how infatuated she still was with Austin.
While studying a few of their most recent photos she became fascinated with the idea of seeing how they both had changed throughout the decade they spent together. In many ways it seemed to her as if they still were exactly the same as the day they had met. Yet, in another sense it felt like they had been together her entire life, and remembering life before Austin seemed like an entirely different lifetime.
Quickly flipping through the photos she looked for any noticeable physical changes in Austin or herself. In terms of gradual change she really found none. They both appeared to be about the same weight, and even their body language and posture seemed to be frozen in time.
Only when she compared pictures from now to the earliest part of their relationship did she note any differences. Austin’s chest had gotten a little broader and the hair on his chest and legs was darker and thicker. His hairline had receded a fraction of an inch, yet other than a little graying on the temples his hair looked the same. Though his body remained in great shape it had a more manly attitude. His skin looked rougher and he appeared strong and mature as opposed to young and vital.
Claudia hadn’t noticed till tonight that her body had indeed shifted a little. In photographs when she was smiling, you could see a hint of approaching lines near her mouth and eyes. Her hips were a little wider and her butt and breasts had begun to hang a tad lower. Her workout habits had her body looking more tone and muscular than it did ten years ago. She had successfully replaced the youthful soft sponginess of her skin with a sleek firmness. Just as she saw Austin’s body as being more manly, she saw her body as being more warm and womanly. Her facial expression of energetic innocence had been replaced by confidence and style.
Scanning over the years she really couldn’t pick out a favorite time. Each phase of their life together embodied its own special beauty. Everything about their life had evolved and matured. The energy of youth had slowly given way to the comfort and security of knowing yourself and your partner. The speed and sharpness of newness and adventure had smoothly evolved into knowledge and intimacy, the mad rapids of passion had flowed effortlessly into the deep ocean of life.
Closing her eyes she decided to create her own images of their life together. She encouraged her body to relive her earliest wild sensations of newfound infatuation and let herself flow down the river through the years to the vast ocean they had become. After awhile she found herself peacefully afloat on the accumulation of ten years of their love together. There she was content to float, to dream and let the sunshine of their love draw her into sleep.