I was in Hibbing, Minnesota yesterday for my Grandpa's funeral. When I got back to town I went to The Show. I can't express how violently different these two settings were.
If you're not familiar with Hibbing, it's nestled deep in the gut of Minnesota. Well off the beaten path and mired in unfortunate history. It's the birth place of the Iron Range, and all the depression, overcast skies and alcoholism that surrounds it. Once you finally arrive in the town after being in the car for 4 hours, you get this sinking feeling in your stomach and your heart aches a little bit for every teenager that HAS to live there. No jobs, no money and nothing to do. My dad was one of those kids until he got the fuck out and moved to San Francisco.
One of the first things I noticed when I pulled into town was all of the familiar chains with unfamiliar names. There was an easily recognizable A&W that was now The Stand. There was a Dairy Queen that was the Sundae Barn. Every Super America was Little Dickie's, or Roy's Gas and Go. Corporate chains pulled the fuck out of that town years ago, probably around the same time my Dad split.
From this depressing little hovel, I drove back to the cities and went directly to The Show. Upon my arrival I witnessed the typical scenes: drunkenness, grab-assing, sucking up, flattery, the pushing of fashion boundaries, and the starry-eyed students who are there to shmooze and network with the Creative Recruiters of their choice. Not a once did I get a firm hand shake, talk about fishing, or discuss remodeling tips. I left, a little ashamed of the industry I work for and the utter lack of realness about it. We're all living in a fantasy world kids.
12 comments:
Man, this blows.
I always thought that my fantasy world would be shinier.
This post makes me want to climb back into bed. And not in a typically sexy way.
I think we should all have a big e-hug.
Cum dumpsters exist in every walk of life. (Yyyaaah...E-hug!!!)
cum-dumpstsers?
I'm not e-hugging you with that mouth.
Whatever, I totally gave you a firm handshake. Didn't I?
It gets really ugly when you're all vying for the same promotion at work. Advertising, design and interactive are cute and swanky professions but they're as political and cut-throat as any other. Perhaps more so.
And you thought you hated the cliques in High School?
A creative director flew in from NYC to work with me on a site for Kmart. In an effort to qualify my sexuality (he was openly gay), he sent me links to gay websites and asked me to comment on them. They were obviously rhetorical motions, and when I didn't respond and when he discovered I wasn't gay, I was blacklisted and he smeared my name to all the office presidents during the subsequent Monday morning utilization conference call.
The world of corporate creative can be cruel and if you don't fit inside the box, it's time to re-tool because if you're seen right of center or even a moderate, you're fucked.
I am as far to the left politically as they come. Not sure what politics, gayness, or cum dumpsters have to do with this thread.
The ad parties I've attended have been wank fests for the most part. Unless you're bombed and playing along. I wasn't in the mood. Not after driving to and from the most depressing town on the planet.
Do your best work and stay out of the political side. Lead by example. Or the office just might end up being the "most depressing town". A reflection. Nothing more. Cheers man.
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