January 22, 2007
why so many companies find the whole web 2.0, post-cluetrain world so painful
For a young person, probably the hardest psychological adjustment to make when entering the working world is realizing that “Nobody cares about you”.
I remember it well. And I didn’t like it. Luckily it didn’t last too long.
After all, once you’re over the initial shock, you start to realize that actually, yes, universal indifference to your own “unique blip of insignificance” is actually quite liberating. It somehow frees you up internally to pursue what really matters, instead of endlessly worrying about the tiresome, political, incestuous, complicated and time-guzzling drama of the “Group Hug” crowd. Life’s too short.
Every young adult has to make this adjustment, unless they want to spend the rest of their lives drowning in a foggy sea of neurosis. And you know what happens when you talk to someone who’s old enough to know better, yet still has serious issues with it. You roll your eyeballs and tell them to grow up.
So, during the Edelman gig earlier today, I started thinking to myself, if this is something that any healthy 22-year-old can work through without too much fuss, then how come so many large companies, with all those smart, experienced, talented people making the big money and the big decisions, find it so difficult?
“Hi, I’m a large company, and I’m going to blow $100 million telling you how great I am. I’m so great. I rock. That’s right. And you like me, too. You really do. You like hanging onto my every word. Group Hug!“
Maybe this is why so many companies find the whole Web 2.0, post-Cluetrain world so painful. Growing up always is, he said, rolling his eyeballs.
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This is rare time where the big companies don’t control everything. The share / democratization of media control is scaring them.
I wonder how long it will last…
Perhaps organizations age more slowly.
Hi Hugh. I translated the titles of your manifesto “how to be creative” to spanish, and posted that info on my blog zappingdigital.com (Chile). Others blogs shared the translation, like a briefblog.com.mx (México). Good job master, Bye!
“It somehow frees you up internally to pursue what really matters, instead of endlessly worrying about the tiresome, political, incestuous, complicated and time-guzzling drama of the “Group Hug” crowd. Life’s too short.“
Well said.….
and those types of people suck one’s creativity away… in fact, they really don’t matter… they’re just plain dull and part of the same herd of sheep on the planet
Beautiful post!
Hugh, I think you are wrong. I don’t think that MOST people work through this. I think most people go through life thinking that they are “hot stuff” and superior to others around them. Big companies have this trait because their executives have this trait.
It is worse now than ever because everyone has access to faux-fame because of the internet and other media. Look at Reality TV in the US. Tens of thousands apply for these shows feeling they “deserve” the fame.
The average 22 year old does not realize nobody cares. Then they get to be 40. More figure it out by then, but still so many do not. And thus the companies are being run by people who think that they personally are rock stars, and it translates into the corporate culture.
thom
It is crazy that this crosses over and applies to young midwestern girls who marry rich and therefore think they are the shit forever
Well … hm. I think the folks shouting “Look at me! Me’s a so great!” are those with the biggest damned holes sitting right in the middle of them. It’s not that they think they’re the greates, they know with utter certainty that they are wortheless … and they’ll die before they let anybody find out.
“After all, once you’re over the initial shock, you start to realize that actually, yes, universal indifference to your own “unique blip of insignificance” is actually quite liberating. It somehow frees you up internally to pursue what really matters, instead of endlessly worrying about the tiresome, political, incestuous, complicated and time-guzzling drama of the “Group Hug” crowd. Life’s too short.
Every young adult has to make this adjustment, unless they want to spend the rest of their lives drowning in a foggy sea of neurosis. And you know what happens when you talk to someone who’s old enough to know better, yet still has serious issues with it. You roll your eyeballs and tell them to grow up.“
these two paragraphs are just beautiful. Great piece of crisp writing and insightful wisdom.
Well I enjoyed reading your bolg… But to tell you the truth I have experienced something different. I am a member of a large company and I am not one of the “VIP’s”. They have hired me to do a job — and I do that job to the best of my ability. That is what they have hired me to do. I do not take it personally — because business is not personal it is just business. I don’t expect my bosses to care because they only care about the job that I they have hired me to do. So I receive caring and all that “fuzzy feeling” stuff from outside my work — isn’t that the way it should be???
Bravo Hugh!
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