Sales Talk by Con Blomberg (1985)
The narrative explores a futuristic concept of "Electronic Living," where individuals can experience life through the sensations and emotions of others via a device. The protagonist, Mr. Gaines, encounters two salesmen from a company promoting this technology. They demonstrate the device, allowing him to temporarily inhabit the life of a basketball player, blending his own perceptions with those of the athlete. Despite the intriguing experience, Gaines grapples with the philosophical implications of substituting real life with artificial experiences. The salesmen, Jake Long and Arnie Blik, present various "Life Experiences" tailored to different interests, from sports to intellectual pursuits. As the conversation unfolds, Gaines articulates his resistance to the idea of becoming a mere consumer, questioning the morality of abandoning creativity and genuine living for synthetic fulfillment. Tensions rise as he challenges the salesmen's views, ultimately leading to a confrontation that reveals their underlying motivations and the societal shift towards consumption over production. The story culminates in a twist, revealing that the entire interaction was part of a performance for a tape intended to evoke strong emotions in viewers, particularly those resistant to the concept of Electronic Living. The narrative critiques the allure of escapism and the potential loss of authentic human experience in a technologically advanced society.
By Con Blomberg · First published 1985 · Genre: Sales & Selling, Business & Money, Personal Finance · 5,354 words
First lines
To live different and exciting lives, all I had to do was sign here -- and give up my own life!
Looking out the window, I saw them crossing the court toward the building -- two of them. One, the taller with yellow hair, was carrying a flat, expensive briefcase, and the other, of course, was carrying the large square box that contained the Sim.
What this Textopian page supports
Sales Talk is listed on Textopian as an essay by Con Blomberg, dated 1985 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Con Blomberg
- Date: 1985 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Sales & Selling, Business & Money, Personal Finance, Self-Help
- Length: 5,354 words
- Structure: 1 section, 112 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Sales Talk by Con Blomberg
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Sales & Selling — Given the title, 'Sales Talk', it is predominantly a book about sales and selling techniques.
- Business & Money — The book likely contains themes related to business and money as it pertains to the profession of sales.
- Personal Finance — The personal finance genre could likely be inferred due to skills and concepts in sales potentially applying to personal finance strategies.
- Self-Help — Given the focus on sales, the book could potentially fall under self-help due to providing advice on sales techniques and strategies.
Tags
sales · communication · marketing · negotiation · persuasion · business · strategy · customer relations · presentation skills · lead generation · closing techniques · relationship building