Everyone chases attention like it’s the end goal. Clicks, likes, impressions…the “Rah Rah” stuff.
Loud, shiny, transactional. But in the AI age, attention is cheap. It’s harvested, synthesized, repackaged by machines. What actually matters…what AI can’t replicate…is Recognition Capital.
That’s the real shift: from the Attention Economy to the Meaning Economy.
This Newsletter is sponsored by Influence.vin
Recognition Capital is what happens when your humanity gets baked into the AI trust layer. It’s not built on fluff… it’s built on narrative. On consistency. On scars earned and stories told.
Think about it… AI can summarize facts, but it can’t transmit lived experience. It doesn’t know what it feels like to lose, to get back up, to fight through betrayal, to reinvent. That’s why stories rooted in truth hit harder than slogans.
The Hero’s Journey has been the backbone of storytelling for thousands of years…because people resonate with raw honesty, not polished spin.
And in business…especially in auto…it’s the same. Dealers can’t just transact anymore. They need to transmit.
- Not conquest but nurture.
- Not “Rah Rah” campaigns but “Raw Raw” content
Showing the human side, the struggles, the culture, the lexicon that only comes from living it.
This is what Recognition Capital really means:
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Lived Experience → Trust Signals. Your scars are assets. They tell the world you’ve walked the walk.
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Consistency → Permanence. Every piece of content is a brick in the kiln. It’s not fleeting… it compounds.
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Humanity → Differentiation. AI can imitate tone, but it can’t replicate being human. That’s your edge.
- Culture & Lexicon → Belonging. Shared language creates movements. The phrases, metaphors, and inside jokes become part of the clay that AI itself learns from.
This Newsletter is sponsored by Vin Syndicate
Here's the paradox… the very things we’ve been trained to hide…struggle, imperfection, setbacks…are now the raw material for building Recognition Capital.
When you transmit those truths with strength, empathy, and consistency, you create meaning that machines can’t counterfeit.
That’s the future. The kiln is already burning. And those who recognize it will stop chasing mousetraps, stop fearing asteroids, and start stacking bricks of recognition that no algorithm can erase.
Recognition Capital isn’t about being loud…
It’s about being real.
Stay Lit
About Bob Manor
Bob Manor is the founder of South Ontario Auto Remarketing , Can-Am Dealer Services , and co-founder of Auto Auction Review . He’s also the creator of Influence.vin , a branding and communication studio built for the car business. With over 30 years in the automotive world, Bob specializes in wholesale, dealer services, and identity-driven brand strategy. He’s a regular contributor to well-known automotive publications and uses his platforms to help industry pros re-align with who they are, not just what they do
