Whenever a new cable channel arrives, they run lots of ads for it, and then they say: “If you don’t get (Channel Whatsit), demand it!” But should you really demand it if you actually want it? I’ve found that people don’t like bossy, demanding people. If you want something, be nice! So shouldn’t they say: “If you don’t get (New Cable Channel), please ask nicely for it to be included in future cable packages!”? It’s just common sense! Remember the old adage: “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”? Well, it applies here too. (It's not just for catching flies anymore!)
Okay, let’s put it like this: Have you ever had someone who wants something from you ask you for it in a rude, demanding way? Did you want to give it to them? I doubt it! But have you ever ended up getting talked out of something you didn’t want to give away by a smooth-talking flatterer, or at least by a really nicely-mannered, polite person? I think most people have. So it just makes sense to ask nicely: that’s all I’m saying.
I know it’s true that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”, and that some people will do things to get rid of rude or otherwise annoying people, but other people will punish them for their behavior by not giving them whatever they want, no matter what, if they’re jerks. (I’m like that. For example, if any company ever calls me at home to promote something, I’ll make a point of never buying anything from them ever.) And if the cable company knows you’re trying to make lots of people be rude jerks to them all the time to nag them to carry your stupid channel, then they might not want to do it, or else they may do it in a way that punishes you somehow.
Fox Business Channel has ads that tell you to “demand it”, and then Fox News programming has their anchors, and even some guests, tell their viewers to demand it, too. (They do it all the time, in fact!) Well, not that I’d ever want to watch it anyway, but my cable provider did add it; but guess what: they made it a channel that requires you to pay extra for it! Other cable systems don’t do that. Maybe that’s just because my cable company sucks, but it also might be because too many people “demanded it”, and they got annoyed.
I guess we’ll never know for sure. But just in case, perhaps in future they’ll request that we all “please ask nicely for it”. Because hey: if you’re going to kill them with something anyway, it might as well be kindness. Then, they may even appreciate it. (It couldn't hurt!)
