Inception

I recently saw the film Inception. Spoiler alert: The guy from growing pains and the guy from 3rd rock from the sun get hired by the last samurai to plant the last samurai's seed in the "vault" of the scarecrow.

The merits of the movie aside, this presents a brilliant business strategy. Much like Fight Club and Memento, the makers of Inception have created a product that requires several purchases. Unlike simple movies which you can see and understand with the purchase of a single movie ticket, Inception has you on the hook for a few views or at least the flattery of an illegal download, so the smoke clears long enough for the average viewer to "figure it out."

Practical application to the practice of law? Give flawed bankruptcy advice causing the client to spiral further into debt, and you're the only attorney he or she can now afford. Give misleading criminal defense advice, keeping your client incarcerated (and you employed) longer and longer.

Practical application to the practice of medicine? Just make sure not to kill the poor guy; insurance companies don't pay doctors to treat the deceased (anymore).

And as for politics? Make sure your constituents are worse off than when you started, and promise to restore them to their former mediocrity if only they keep you around (after all, being the one who created the mess, you're now the only one who can clean it up!)

As for me, I'm going to find a dreidel to spin to make sure I haven't fallen asleep again.