1A Lesson Plan for “Finding a Coach in the Land of Oz” (278)

 

Part One. Why is BS so difficult to detect and repel?

1. It is everywhere so we forget about it. It’s like background noise.
2. We take it for granted and are numb to it.
3. We accept it because often we are guilty of it.
4. Because we don’t have a firm definition of it.
5. Like I said before, for some people BS is all they know.  
6. We don't know what it is specifically.  

Part Two. What is BS?

BS is false sincerity masquerading as something that should be highly prized. Its fakery is disguised by ornate fraudulence, clever exaggeration, subtle cunning, polished style, bold extravagance. All of these qualities are designed for the BS artist to look like he is working in your best interests but in reality he is taking advantage of you.

Frankfurt is the author of BS. He adds that the BSer is different from the liar. The liar lies knowing the difference between truth and lies; the BSer on the other hand is indifferent to any difference between truth and lies. For the BSer there is no difference. 


Part Three. Why Is BS so common?

 

1. BS is common because the stalwarts of success, who brandish their trophies in the media, are usually BS artists supreme. As such they are our role models and influence us to follow their BS-ing ways.

2. BSers enjoy reproductive and financial success so we emulate them.


3.  There is a market for BS, a huge pool of people who are willing believers.

4.  BS is easier than authenticity. 

5. When your whole life is BS, you know nothing else so you can't identify it and put a stop to it. 

Part Four. The so-called “career coach” is in truth a BS artist. The essay teaches us the distinguishing characteristics of BS.

1. BS is not lying; rather, it is blowing smoke, an attempt to impress and razzle-dazzle your audience with ornate fakery, clever exaggeration, extravagant style, and worn-out gimmicks.
2. The BSer uses creative euphemisms:  a garbage man is a garbologist or a sanitation engineer. You don't break up with someone; you "take a breather." You're fired is a "severance package"; When you haven't even started your essay, you say you're "working on it." The restaurant food is crap, but you call it pedestrian, insipid, and jejune.  You're worthless is translated "Needs improvement." You're a narcissistic nut job is "a piece of work."     
3. BS is ubiquitous, which means it is so prevalent that we take it for granted and are numb to it. Sadly, we accept BS more than we should.
4. BS extraordinaire Morton gives us a clinic in BS, which commonly is a hustle to bilk money from the innocent, the gullible, and the unsuspecting. In this case, vulnerable people, people with families who have lost their jobs and are desperate.

 

Part Five. Morton unwittingly teaches us the BS Trade:

1. Morton blames the victim by telling the victim she needs to transform her personality, which is obviously inadequate. Lucky for her, Morton has the tools to help her achieve her transformation. Morton grades her personality and focuses on her self, which is irrelevant to helping her find a job. See page 284.
2. The BS artists uses cheap sound bites that any punk can find on the Internet to establish his “expertise.” In Morton’s case, it’s the “Four Competencies”—Mobilizing Innovation, managing People and Tasks, Communicating, and Managing Self. See page 280.
3. These cheap slogans are a distraction from the painful and essential fact: Morton is worthless in his ability to help the job seeker find a job. If he can distract the job seeker with cheap slogans, he can bilk her for some cash.
4. The BS artist borrows from the wisdom of the ancients to present a pseudo-spiritual aura, which the BS artist uses to create the illusion of expertise: He presents a transparency that reads “Clear mind, skillful driver; Sound spirit, strong horse, etc.” See page 280. Again, this is a distraction from his essential worthlessness. The real question is CAN YOU MAKE ME MONEY! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR “CLEAR MIND SKILLFUL DRIVER” SPEIL; I’VE GOT KIDS TO FEED, MORON!
5. The BS artist relies on gimmicks like dolls to act-out his psychological principles. See page 280. The scarecrow represents “The Mental,” etc. Also see page 284 in which Morton uses an Elvis doll to make some asinine point.
6. The BS artist relies on the human potential language from self-help psychology to appear valuable to his customer. See page 280 at the bottom as he discusses “personality types,” “motivation,” etc. Also see page 283 top with the intersecting circles. Complete BS.
7. The BS artist uses phony language that his customer does not understand. This phony language creates the illusion of mastery. See page 181.
8. The BS artist bilks (extracts money from) his customer by creating needs and services that are not necessary. See page 281 bottom and 282 top. See 283 top, the need for more coaching for a mere $1,200.
9. The BS artist performs an air of conviction about his opinions when he lacks the scientific data to support his positions.
10. The essence of the BS artist is the performance of sincerity when in fact the BSer is heartless and believes in nothing more than his own ability to cheat people.
11. The bull artist has no interest in the difference between falsity and truth; his only interest is in getting away with his BS.
12. The BS artist knows he is BS-ing in the beginning but there is a point where he believes in his own BS and becomes in a way insane and morally depraved. (example of a coach I used to know)

Part Six. Write a research paper in which you first define BS and provide its distinguishing characteristics. Then show how these BS traits apply to three figures in a comparison essay. After your definition of BS, you will profile a BSer you know in about 1.5 pages, showing how this person exemplifies the BSer template or model. Then you will interview someone who was duped or manipulated by a BSer and profile this BSer in another 1.5 pages, showing how this BSer, too, illustrates your BS characteristics. Finally, you will use the "life coach" in today's essay as your final example of the BSer. 

Your research sources for your Works Cited Page will include the following:

1. My blog.

2. Today's essay from Acting Out Culture

3. Your interview. 

A sample thesis might look like this:

Barbara Ehrenreich's chronicle of spending money on "career coaches" not only shows them to be a sham and a fraud but highlights the toxicity of living in a culture suffused by BS as described by Harry Frankfurt's masterpiece essay. The most salient BS ingredients found in Ehrenrich's infuriating personal narrative include _______________________________, ____________________________, ________________________________, and ______________________________. We see these characteristics exemplified in _______________, _______________, and ______________________. 

 

 

Part One. Why is BS so difficult to detect and repel?

1. It is everywhere so we forget about it. It’s like background noise.
2. We take it for granted and are numb to it.
3. We accept it because often we are guilty of it.
4. Because we don’t have a firm definition of it.
5. Like I said before, for some people BS is all they know.  
6. We don't know what it is specifically.  

Part Two. What is BS?

BS is false sincerity masquerading as something that should be highly prized. Its fakery is disguised by ornate fraudulence, clever exaggeration, subtle cunning, polished style, bold extravagance. All of these qualities are designed for the BS artist to look like he is working in your best interests but in reality he is taking advantage of you.

Frankfurt is the author of BS. He adds that the BSer is different from the liar. The liar lies knowing the difference between truth and lies; the BSer on the other hand is indifferent to any difference between truth and lies. For the BSer there is no difference. 


Part Three. Why Is BS so common?

 

1. BS is common because the stalwarts of success, who brandish their trophies in the media, are usually BS artists supreme. As such they are our role models and influence us to follow their BS-ing ways.

2. BSers enjoy reproductive and financial success so we emulate them.


3.  There is a market for BS, a huge pool of people who are willing believers.

4.  BS is easier than authenticity. 

5. When your whole life is BS, you know nothing else so you can't identify it and put a stop to it. 

Part Four. The so-called “career coach” is in truth a BS artist. The essay teaches us the distinguishing characteristics of BS.

1. BS is not lying; rather, it is blowing smoke, an attempt to impress and razzle-dazzle your audience with ornate fakery, clever exaggeration, extravagant style, and worn-out gimmicks.
2. The BSer uses creative euphemisms:  a garbage man is a garbologist or a sanitation engineer. You don't break up with someone; you "take a breather." You're fired is a "severance package"; When you haven't even started your essay, you say you're "working on it." The restaurant food is crap, but you call it pedestrian, insipid, and jejune.  You're worthless is translated "Needs improvement." You're a narcissistic nut job is "a piece of work."     
3. BS is ubiquitous, which means it is so prevalent that we take it for granted and are numb to it. Sadly, we accept BS more than we should.
4. BS extraordinaire Morton gives us a clinic in BS, which commonly is a hustle to bilk money from the innocent, the gullible, and the unsuspecting. In this case, vulnerable people, people with families who have lost their jobs and are desperate.

 

Part Five. Morton unwittingly teaches us the BS Trade:

1. Morton blames the victim by telling the victim she needs to transform her personality, which is obviously inadequate. Lucky for her, Morton has the tools to help her achieve her transformation. Morton grades her personality and focuses on her self, which is irrelevant to helping her find a job. See page 284.
2. The BS artists uses cheap sound bites that any punk can find on the Internet to establish his “expertise.” In Morton’s case, it’s the “Four Competencies”—Mobilizing Innovation, managing People and Tasks, Communicating, and Managing Self. See page 280.
3. These cheap slogans are a distraction from the painful and essential fact: Morton is worthless in his ability to help the job seeker find a job. If he can distract the job seeker with cheap slogans, he can bilk her for some cash.
4. The BS artist borrows from the wisdom of the ancients to present a pseudo-spiritual aura, which the BS artist uses to create the illusion of expertise: He presents a transparency that reads “Clear mind, skillful driver; Sound spirit, strong horse, etc.” See page 280. Again, this is a distraction from his essential worthlessness. The real question is CAN YOU MAKE ME MONEY! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR “CLEAR MIND SKILLFUL DRIVER” SPEIL; I’VE GOT KIDS TO FEED, MORON!
5. The BS artist relies on gimmicks like dolls to act-out his psychological principles. See page 280. The scarecrow represents “The Mental,” etc. Also see page 284 in which Morton uses an Elvis doll to make some asinine point.
6. The BS artist relies on the human potential language from self-help psychology to appear valuable to his customer. See page 280 at the bottom as he discusses “personality types,” “motivation,” etc. Also see page 283 top with the intersecting circles. Complete BS.
7. The BS artist uses phony language that his customer does not understand. This phony language creates the illusion of mastery. See page 181.
8. The BS artist bilks (extracts money from) his customer by creating needs and services that are not necessary. See page 281 bottom and 282 top. See 283 top, the need for more coaching for a mere $1,200.
9. The BS artist performs an air of conviction about his opinions when he lacks the scientific data to support his positions.
10. The essence of the BS artist is the performance of sincerity when in fact the BSer is heartless and believes in nothing more than his own ability to cheat people.
11. The bull artist has no interest in the difference between falsity and truth; his only interest is in getting away with his BS.
12. The BS artist knows he is BS-ing in the beginning but there is a point where he believes in his own BS and becomes in a way insane and morally depraved. (example of a coach I used to know)

Part Six. Write a research paper in which you first define BS and provide its distinguishing characteristics. Then show how these BS traits apply to three figures in a comparison essay. After your definition of BS, you will profile a BSer you know in about 1.5 pages, showing how this person exemplifies the BSer template or model. Then you will interview someone who was duped or manipulated by a BSer and profile this BSer in another 1.5 pages, showing how this BSer, too, illustrates your BS characteristics. Finally, you will use the "life coach" in today's essay as your final example of the BSer. 

Your research sources for your Works Cited Page will include the following:

1. My blog.

2. Today's essay from Acting Out Culture

3. Your interview. 

A sample thesis might look like this:

Barbara Ehrenreich's chronicle of spending money on "career coaches" not only shows them to be a sham and a fraud but highlights the toxicity of living in a culture suffused by BS as described by Harry Frankfurt's masterpiece essay. The most salient BS ingredients found in Ehrenrich's infuriating personal narrative include _______________________________, ____________________________, ________________________________, and ______________________________. We see these characteristics exemplified in _______________, _______________, and ______________________.