Where is the passion?

I was reading the excellent Brains on Fire manifesto about igniting word of mouth movements. The author argues that to start a 'movement" companies should adhere to the following rule not talk about the product but the shared passion:  "It's not about the product--it's what the product allows your customers to do. How it enhances their lives." I could not agree more, it is in the enhancement of customers lives that true value resides. 

Passion should be shared between consumer and company; in our work in various industries I can confidently say that consumers have passion, and feel passionate about a lot of things. The problem is not the consumer; it is the company and may be more specific the marketer. At Oxyme we make it a competition to know more about the product than our client who is producing it. Too many times it is a walk over victory for us. I mean we are not studying day and night, going into r & d labs, we just buy the product and use it. I guess not all marketeers actually use their own product, if this is not the case how can one even begin to relate to consumers who are passionate? In my view you can't. 

Fundamentally there is a bigger problem underpinning the issue; passion can't be learned. Somehow you either have it or you don't, so the remedy for marketers would be to start working in industries and companies your are passionate about, it will make you a better marketeer for it and perhaps even a happier person.