"Let's Not Make that Mistake Again"

Ideas, both good and bad, are transmitted throughout a society by four important vectors.

First, there are the intellectuals, the truly original thinkers who first formulate the ideas. Second, there are those who control public policy where they use political power to implement the ideas. Third, there are the wealth creators, the business people who pay for the ideas. Finally, there are the leaders in popular culture, primarily in news, entertainment, and religion, who are the primary disseminators of ideas. 

With that in mind, consider this brilliant and funny video from the vector of popular culture. It is a clip from the television series South Park, a show that regularly takes a strong -- if irreverent -- individualist point of view.

The video illustrates the paradox of a consumer market success. Everyone hates Wal Mart  (called "Wall Mart" in the video) because everyone else shops there.

Assume you could do away with "Wall Mart" by convincing everyone not to shop there. What would be the result? The answer: the same mistake.