Rational Survivability

Freddy Got Fingered is probably one of the most disgustingly funny movies I’ve ever seen.  It’s truly sick.  In the first 10 minutes, Chris Elliot Tom Green (thanks, Zach!) performs unnatural acts on a farm animal and plays a Brahms concerto on an electronic keyboard with pieces of meat strung from overhanging pulley systems that move up and down as he plays.

Weird.

What the hell does this have to do with what Martin McKeay wrote about my blog entry welcoming Richard Stiennon to the ranks of the UTM vendor pool?  Nothing, really.  Except for the fact that I got "fingered" (ew!) by Martin as he pegged my post for what I said it was — an un-objective "Welcome to the Jungle" message to Richard who in our last exchanges didn’t seem to believe in UTM. 

Now he does.  What a difference a day makes.

I started thinking about Richard’s comment about how in his new position he’s not going to become a "defender of the product" — somehow rising above it all and not getting dirty debating the "merits" because he’s the Chief Marketing Officer.  At first I dismissed his comments and blew him a kiss given how early in the game it is for him @ Fortinet, but I, like Martin, sure as hell hope that he’s not going to hide under a title because he doesn’t want to debate openly.

We’ve called each other out — sort of. 

I respect Richard’s opinions.  I don’t happen to agree with all of them and unfortunately I seem to be violating some unwritten rule that suggests it’s out of bounds to say so?  I guess that’s why I don’t consider myself in marketing.  Ptacek would call me on that one because everyone — including my plumber — he considers in marketing 😉

When Mr. S. was an analyst he thought fit to be able to debate and agree/disagree with anything I said.  Because he was "independent?"  Now that he’s not, he can’t?

Perhaps I missed the memo, but I think it’s a cop-out to essentially "take the fifth" when doing a 180.  I just don’t subscribe to the fact that there’s some secret code that suggests that when roles change so do opinions and the exposure that comes with articulating them.

If I went to work for Cisco tomorrow, based upon my comments and opinions in the past, I’d sure as hell expect that people would question me on it and expect to debate the "merits" one way or the other.  I’d also feel compelled to ‘splain.  But that’s just me.

Also, I’ll take any advice anyone has — whether the topic is fly fishing, chainsaw juggling or branding.  I’m an equal opportunity opinionist that expects to receive as much as I give. 😉

Enough.  This is getting to sound like I’m trying to pick on Richard.  I’m not.  Well, OK.  I am.  But that’s what all you people pay to see, right?

Rich — whaddya say we rent those inflatable Sumo suits @ RSA and do a true UTM grudge match!?  I expect that you’ll take Ken Xie’s place on Rothman’s UTM panel?

Hoff