THINKING LIKE AN INVESTOR: How to make money off of the daily sex scandals.
"Tens of thousands of years of mating instincts and behavior still exert a powerful influence on us today, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Many men still want sex and will trade money to get it, while many women still want security and will trade sex to get it." BJ Gallagher, Huffington Post
Men and women's bodies have "natural" differences, we think and behave in some different ways, and our human experience is shaped by the different ways culture and society treat us. One construct that is generally accepted is that "men use power & money to get sex, and women use sex to get power & money." This characterization, along with virtually every characterization, is a broad generalization and exceptions abound. In other words, there are women who are stronger than men. And there are men who use sex to gain power over women, and there are women who never rely on their "sex appeal." But for purposes of discussion and the question I am about to pose, indulge me and let us assume that there is some validity to this premise.
The explosion of sexual harassment and assault cases in the news has put both genders on notice. For each gender the consequences will play out differently. And the effects will change how we each perceive, behave, react and respond. The dynamics will impact many social, cultural, and business settings and situations. What is acceptable for both genders will shift and adjust to the new risks and realities. If we play this forward, you can imagine many changes in our lives.
If we come back to the original premise, that "men use power & money to get sex, and women use sex to get power & money," what changes can we anticipate if we assume this equation is no longer "acceptable?" What do men lose? What do women lose? What do men gain? What do women gain?
The new dynamics will result in changes in the ways that both sexes plan and operate. And those changes will impact people's personal and business decisions. Right now, at this present moment we are so caught up in the scandals and shock, and politics of the day, that we have yet to consider the broader implications.
I can toss out some imaginable changes just to start the thought/brainstorm process:
- Male recruiters/bosses might be less likely to hire an "attractive" women. This could give less attractive women greater job prospects.
- Women will be more likely to report incidents of abuse, which should result in the decreased likelihood of abusive behavior.
- Sexually provocatively dress in the workplace may be perceived differently, which could also effect the fashion and apparel industry.
- Men will seek out new "safer" means of "gaining sex." E.G. Places which offer legal prostitution, pornography, and chat rooms may see increased business.
- Men and woman in relationships may look to spice it up, since excitement from flirtation in the workplace and elsewhere is more taboo and risky.
So now, how do we identify where trends are taking us and figure out how to invest in those trends to make money? This whole subject raises the notion of "trend watching," a subject that I enjoy and have read a few books about.
Change is to entrepreneurs, what oxygen is to a flame. Social and cultural shifts create opportunities for new businesses, products and services. Investors looks for places to put their money where there is greater opportunity. Whenever there are big changes in what is socially acceptable or desirable, there is an opportunity to profit from it. The key is to figure out where, when, and how these changes will impact consumer behaviors.
