Over the past decade communication transitioned from speech to type, and I thought it appropriate to spend a little time honoring the most malleable word of the past decade haha. Haha is the one word that can be used in any conversation and the recipient will never truly know the inflection of the sender.
Let's say you're chatting with someone; you've got a million things on your plate, no time for them, and they just made a really bad joke. Simply respond with haha or hahahah and they'll never know you're totally ignoring them. However, haha can be a truly genuine word too.
If you and a friend are chatting and they tell you a funny story, haha is a heartfelt response. It's akin to American culture in genreal. Haha is the typed version of the obligatory laugh. The laugh performed after any face to face or phone conversation that veers off course. It's disarming and we as Americans learn from a young age that it's imperative to be friendly and smiley all the time even if it's totally phony. So thank you haha. HAHA!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Realist: A Pessimist in an Optimist's clothing.
The dictionary definition of a realist is "a person who tends to view or represent things as they really are." Isn't that inherently limiting? Doesn't that mean they take reality and probability into account? Can anything incredible be achieved by a realist? Was Einstein, Spielberg, Obama, Hawking or anyone who's done anything impressive a realist? I think not.
Realists are nothing more than pessimists in optimists' clothing. They hate to admit they're pessimists, so they created "realism." Sure, realists may not be Debbie Downers like some stereotypical pessimists, but at the end of they day, they can't believe in the impossible. And if you can't believe in the impossible then you can't achieve it.
Realists are nothing more than pessimists in optimists' clothing. They hate to admit they're pessimists, so they created "realism." Sure, realists may not be Debbie Downers like some stereotypical pessimists, but at the end of they day, they can't believe in the impossible. And if you can't believe in the impossible then you can't achieve it.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
It's a small lifestyle
For years I've heard the expression "It's a small world," but in reality it's not at all; it's a small lifestyle. We all, whether we're lower, middle or upper class all tend to stay in our sphere.
If someone travels to a 5 star Caribbean hotel and runs into someone they know the first thing they'll say is "oh my, what a small world we live in!" It's not a small world! It's a small lifestyle.
We're about to hit 7 billion people and if I ever run into the Vietnamese tow truck driver I met in LA again, that's a small world!
If someone travels to a 5 star Caribbean hotel and runs into someone they know the first thing they'll say is "oh my, what a small world we live in!" It's not a small world! It's a small lifestyle.
We're about to hit 7 billion people and if I ever run into the Vietnamese tow truck driver I met in LA again, that's a small world!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Communication Priorities
Nowadays there are so many ways to communicate it's almost impossible to know which method to use. To the unknowing outsider, they all seem similar, but under further scrutiny, the intricacies of present day communication become apparent. Phone calls, text messages, BBMs, e-mails, IM's, GChats, Facebook messages, wall posts, pokes and friend requests are all very unique ways of communicating, and it's very hard to know which one to use and when.
Let's go back a few decades and realize that our parents' generation had it GOOOOOOD! If someone said, "hey, here's my number," that was the only way to communicate. You either called, or you didn't. Each action had a very clear meaning; no call meant "not interested" and if you called it was clear that you were interested. But now we have to chose our form of passive apathy to prove that we're interested. How weird is that? How bass ackwards?
I've taken it upon myself to define the meaning of each form of communication, and how the method of communication is just as important, if not more than the content itself.
The phone call. The oldest and easiest way to convey what you're truly feeling has become risque. If you just met someone and decided to call them without establishing a text conversation beforehand you are BOLD! You're so bold that the person receiving the call might not answer, just because they have to interpret and digest the meaning the phone call.
The text message. It seems that text messaging is easiest way to open a line of communication without looking too interested. WARNING! the amount of time you wait before responding to text messages is vital to their interpretation. If you respond too quickly, then you're too interested! If you respond too late, you're totally disinterested. Find the happy medium. Also, make sure not to insinuate too much. Texts lack inflection, so you risk being misinterpreted.
BBM. BBM stands for Blackberry Messenger, the proprietary text messaging service available to Blackberry users. This technology adds a whole new dimension to text messaging because it discloses whether the recipient has read your BBM or not. That's a huge issue!! If you BBM someone and you see that they read your BBM and didn't respond, consider that a slap in the face or a swift kick in the nuts. There are many meanings to the unanswered BBM; none of them good.
E-mail. E-mail has taken on a more formal appearance given the advent of texting. If you e-mail someone, you are establishing a more mature and professional relationship. It shows that you've thought about what you wrote, and that you aren't playing text games. This is great way to work yourself into a "friends" stream of communication, because e-mail connotes maturity. E-mail also allows for lengthy explanations and more in depth conversations. It seems to be the form of flirtation chosen in a more professional environment. There's a lot of reading between the margins. ;)
IM's. AIM is a very, very sticky situation. Now that many people are logged on AIM throughout their workday, it's easy to exhaust your amount of IM time. IM's don't necessarily have that much meaning, but if you're chatting with someone you're interested in, the time between each IM is the most telling. You know the person you're IMing is sitting right in front of their computer, but they're choosing when to respond to you. The silence can mean a few things. #1 they're so swamped with work that they can only respond intermittently, #2 they are talking to many other people and you must await your response, or #3 they want to make you sweat. Either way, it can be very rewarding and can be very discouraging.
GChat. GChat is the proprietary instant messaging service provided by Google. It's very similar in nature to AIM, but it forgives slow reaction time. It's simply the newer form of instant messaging and people tend to think it's trendier. Nothing that special. In fact, the interface is weak as hell. The newness of it is the only thing attracts people.
Facebook messages. Facebook messages are a very casual way of communicating. It's sort of a social e-mailing system. If someone Facebook messages you, it's a subtle and chill way of expressing interest. It shows that you are patient and are in no need of an instant reaction. Facebook messages are a good route to prove you true apathy!
[remember that apathy is cool!]
Facebook wall posts. Wall posts are some of the most ballsy forms of communication. If you post a message like "great seeing you this weekend, had a great time" you're attempting to mark your territory with words opposed to urine. The wall post is masked as a direct message to the recipient, but since all 750 of their friends are privy to the wall, it becomes a form of bragging and making everyone aware that you spent time together, and on top of that, had a "great time!" Wall posts can really affect the way people act. No joke!
Facebook pokes. Pokes have somewhat gone by the wayside for Facebook Gen-1, but in case you did poke someone, it's brazen way of saying "hey, I like you."
The friend request. At Facebook's inception, everyone was friending everyone. People were friending people in their college they didn't even know. However, once the unwritten Facebook handbook was published, errant friending became taboo. So now it's important for people to pick and chose who and when they friend. If you friend someone that you just met, you seem very eager. If you wait a few days, you've shown you have self control, but still reaffirm your interest.
It's very very hard to communicate these days because there are so many layers and meanings. In many cases, technology has been a force for good, curing diseases, spreading information, and connecting people across the universe. In other cases, its stood in the way of basic human interaction, and that's a shame.
Let's go back a few decades and realize that our parents' generation had it GOOOOOOD! If someone said, "hey, here's my number," that was the only way to communicate. You either called, or you didn't. Each action had a very clear meaning; no call meant "not interested" and if you called it was clear that you were interested. But now we have to chose our form of passive apathy to prove that we're interested. How weird is that? How bass ackwards?
I've taken it upon myself to define the meaning of each form of communication, and how the method of communication is just as important, if not more than the content itself.
The phone call. The oldest and easiest way to convey what you're truly feeling has become risque. If you just met someone and decided to call them without establishing a text conversation beforehand you are BOLD! You're so bold that the person receiving the call might not answer, just because they have to interpret and digest the meaning the phone call.
The text message. It seems that text messaging is easiest way to open a line of communication without looking too interested. WARNING! the amount of time you wait before responding to text messages is vital to their interpretation. If you respond too quickly, then you're too interested! If you respond too late, you're totally disinterested. Find the happy medium. Also, make sure not to insinuate too much. Texts lack inflection, so you risk being misinterpreted.
BBM. BBM stands for Blackberry Messenger, the proprietary text messaging service available to Blackberry users. This technology adds a whole new dimension to text messaging because it discloses whether the recipient has read your BBM or not. That's a huge issue!! If you BBM someone and you see that they read your BBM and didn't respond, consider that a slap in the face or a swift kick in the nuts. There are many meanings to the unanswered BBM; none of them good.
E-mail. E-mail has taken on a more formal appearance given the advent of texting. If you e-mail someone, you are establishing a more mature and professional relationship. It shows that you've thought about what you wrote, and that you aren't playing text games. This is great way to work yourself into a "friends" stream of communication, because e-mail connotes maturity. E-mail also allows for lengthy explanations and more in depth conversations. It seems to be the form of flirtation chosen in a more professional environment. There's a lot of reading between the margins. ;)
IM's. AIM is a very, very sticky situation. Now that many people are logged on AIM throughout their workday, it's easy to exhaust your amount of IM time. IM's don't necessarily have that much meaning, but if you're chatting with someone you're interested in, the time between each IM is the most telling. You know the person you're IMing is sitting right in front of their computer, but they're choosing when to respond to you. The silence can mean a few things. #1 they're so swamped with work that they can only respond intermittently, #2 they are talking to many other people and you must await your response, or #3 they want to make you sweat. Either way, it can be very rewarding and can be very discouraging.
GChat. GChat is the proprietary instant messaging service provided by Google. It's very similar in nature to AIM, but it forgives slow reaction time. It's simply the newer form of instant messaging and people tend to think it's trendier. Nothing that special. In fact, the interface is weak as hell. The newness of it is the only thing attracts people.
Facebook messages. Facebook messages are a very casual way of communicating. It's sort of a social e-mailing system. If someone Facebook messages you, it's a subtle and chill way of expressing interest. It shows that you are patient and are in no need of an instant reaction. Facebook messages are a good route to prove you true apathy!
[remember that apathy is cool!]
Facebook wall posts. Wall posts are some of the most ballsy forms of communication. If you post a message like "great seeing you this weekend, had a great time" you're attempting to mark your territory with words opposed to urine. The wall post is masked as a direct message to the recipient, but since all 750 of their friends are privy to the wall, it becomes a form of bragging and making everyone aware that you spent time together, and on top of that, had a "great time!" Wall posts can really affect the way people act. No joke!
Facebook pokes. Pokes have somewhat gone by the wayside for Facebook Gen-1, but in case you did poke someone, it's brazen way of saying "hey, I like you."
The friend request. At Facebook's inception, everyone was friending everyone. People were friending people in their college they didn't even know. However, once the unwritten Facebook handbook was published, errant friending became taboo. So now it's important for people to pick and chose who and when they friend. If you friend someone that you just met, you seem very eager. If you wait a few days, you've shown you have self control, but still reaffirm your interest.
It's very very hard to communicate these days because there are so many layers and meanings. In many cases, technology has been a force for good, curing diseases, spreading information, and connecting people across the universe. In other cases, its stood in the way of basic human interaction, and that's a shame.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Textbook Google
In our society, all things bound in a textbook are considered fact. When we read war dates, accounts from the trenches, or what side was good and what side was evil, we take it as gospel. When something is printed in a textbook it's the closest we come to say, "I know that to be certain!"
However, there have been many articles concerning the veracity of Japanese textbooks. They’ve excluded and downplayed some WWII atrocities…and that changes history! This changes what Japanese schoolchildren learn to be true and factual. However, this is not the focal point of this entry, this is an example of what's quietly happening to our society since the prevalence of Google.
To no fault of their own, Google has become an incredible search engine. We type in something we're looking for, and BAM, we've got our answer within milliseconds. The only problem is, we read what Google's computerized algorithm considers to be important. I don't have any idea how the algorithm works, but I'm sure most people only look at the top results on the first or second page. We're voluntarily monopolizing Internet search and it scares me.
What if there are 50 better articles out there, but Google only considers them page six worthy? We need to diversify our search engines and our algorithms or else we're all just pooling from the same source. Google doesn't provide results in order of their veracity. Google starts to develop trends, and culls more highly trafficked sites. Notice that Wikipedia and twitter and facebook all start to accumulate above the fold? We're all reading the same textbook and there isn't an impartial authority checking the authenticity.
What's stopping Google from putting some disparaging blogs or articles about their company on the 35th page? I by no means am accusing Google of doing anything like that, I'm just making sure we're all aware that we've accepted Google as the only search engine...and that's dangerous!
However, there have been many articles concerning the veracity of Japanese textbooks. They’ve excluded and downplayed some WWII atrocities…and that changes history! This changes what Japanese schoolchildren learn to be true and factual. However, this is not the focal point of this entry, this is an example of what's quietly happening to our society since the prevalence of Google.
To no fault of their own, Google has become an incredible search engine. We type in something we're looking for, and BAM, we've got our answer within milliseconds. The only problem is, we read what Google's computerized algorithm considers to be important. I don't have any idea how the algorithm works, but I'm sure most people only look at the top results on the first or second page. We're voluntarily monopolizing Internet search and it scares me.
What if there are 50 better articles out there, but Google only considers them page six worthy? We need to diversify our search engines and our algorithms or else we're all just pooling from the same source. Google doesn't provide results in order of their veracity. Google starts to develop trends, and culls more highly trafficked sites. Notice that Wikipedia and twitter and facebook all start to accumulate above the fold? We're all reading the same textbook and there isn't an impartial authority checking the authenticity.
What's stopping Google from putting some disparaging blogs or articles about their company on the 35th page? I by no means am accusing Google of doing anything like that, I'm just making sure we're all aware that we've accepted Google as the only search engine...and that's dangerous!
Monday, May 11, 2009
2 New Telexpressions: The Digital # and The Digital High 5
PREFACE: I'm posting this particular time to establish when I invented the Digital High 5 and The Digital #. I normally try to think of something insightful to write, but this time I'm just claiming ownership. [If they ever takeoff I don't want them to be unattributable.]
Giving a High 5 or a Pound (fist bump) used to only be a form of hand to hand contact, but one day after a successful client call, it all changed. I wanted to give my co-worker the corny "we just nailed that presentation" fist pound, but couldn't because he was on the phone in another state. I suddenly blurted out "Digital High 5" and pressed the #5 on the phone. The co-workers present in the room erupted in laughter and then I said "screw the Digital High 5, hey Chris, I'm giving you a Digital Pound" and hit the # key, which really got the room laughing. One co-worker said I had to do something with it and I agreed. So...I've decided to try and make Digital High 5's and #'s part of regular phone interactions.
I always thought it would be incredibly cool to start something that eventually becomes part of society; like the High 5, "See ya later alligator," or Rocks, Paper, Scissors. I have no idea how something like that starts or how to spread the word, but clearly it's the oldest form of successful viral advertising. Somewhere along the line someone coined something, and somehow that something became universal. I'm going to try to make Digital #'s and Digital High 5's part of our national vernacular. Someone was the first to say "Staycation" and that caught on quickly, so hopefully my burgeoning campaign for Digital #'s and High 5's will bear fruit. Haven't put much thought into next steps and I'm always open to suggestions.
Giving a High 5 or a Pound (fist bump) used to only be a form of hand to hand contact, but one day after a successful client call, it all changed. I wanted to give my co-worker the corny "we just nailed that presentation" fist pound, but couldn't because he was on the phone in another state. I suddenly blurted out "Digital High 5" and pressed the #5 on the phone. The co-workers present in the room erupted in laughter and then I said "screw the Digital High 5, hey Chris, I'm giving you a Digital Pound" and hit the # key, which really got the room laughing. One co-worker said I had to do something with it and I agreed. So...I've decided to try and make Digital High 5's and #'s part of regular phone interactions.
I always thought it would be incredibly cool to start something that eventually becomes part of society; like the High 5, "See ya later alligator," or Rocks, Paper, Scissors. I have no idea how something like that starts or how to spread the word, but clearly it's the oldest form of successful viral advertising. Somewhere along the line someone coined something, and somehow that something became universal. I'm going to try to make Digital #'s and Digital High 5's part of our national vernacular. Someone was the first to say "Staycation" and that caught on quickly, so hopefully my burgeoning campaign for Digital #'s and High 5's will bear fruit. Haven't put much thought into next steps and I'm always open to suggestions.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Shop to a beat
Since the birth of the iPod and now the iPhone, people constantly have earbuds wedged into their heads. Whether on the subway, walking the streets, or shopping, more and more people’s lives have a soundtrack. It's not the most social activity, but I can attest that it turns a mundane stroll down the street into a music video. More and more people are acquiring mobile devices with mp3 players and more and more people are listening to music. That shift in behavior creates a whole new opportunity for retailers and record labels.
Music has the ability to make you feel a certain way, and it's not coincidence that some of the world's most influential brands regularly feature music in their commercials. Can you remember the last Apple or Nike commercial that didn't have some awesome background music? Probably not.
Using music to enhance a shopping experience is nothing new. Walk into an Abercrombie & Fitch and brace yourself for a cacophony of "brand appropriate" music. Maybe it’s just me, but I think taste in clothing doesn't necessarily correlate to taste in music. Generally the retailers select the right genre e.g. you don't hear rap or classical in an Abercrombie, but that doesn't mean you like what you are hearing. So how can retailers connect with different shoppers using in-store music without deferring to the current broadcast approach?
Imagine walking into an Abercrombie. [Just for the record, I don't shop there] Instead of heading directly to the table of pre-torn button downs, you approach a screen with a long list of songs ranging in genre. Next to each song is a 2D barcode. You whip out your iPhone, snap a pic of the song your want to listen to, and off you go. Your earbuds are securely fastened and you are shopping and bopping in your own world. You've attainted that perfect balance of privacy in a public space and now you actually want to spend time in the store because you are streaming some free new music you really like. Retailers love having more people in their store and record labels love having new avenues to distribute their artists. Abercrombie wins because you had a great shopping experience and reinforced their brand with cool music that's tailored for you. I don't know what to call this idea or business, but it needs a name or handle so for now let's go with Soundtrack Shopping.
Music has the ability to make you feel a certain way, and it's not coincidence that some of the world's most influential brands regularly feature music in their commercials. Can you remember the last Apple or Nike commercial that didn't have some awesome background music? Probably not.
Using music to enhance a shopping experience is nothing new. Walk into an Abercrombie & Fitch and brace yourself for a cacophony of "brand appropriate" music. Maybe it’s just me, but I think taste in clothing doesn't necessarily correlate to taste in music. Generally the retailers select the right genre e.g. you don't hear rap or classical in an Abercrombie, but that doesn't mean you like what you are hearing. So how can retailers connect with different shoppers using in-store music without deferring to the current broadcast approach?
Imagine walking into an Abercrombie. [Just for the record, I don't shop there] Instead of heading directly to the table of pre-torn button downs, you approach a screen with a long list of songs ranging in genre. Next to each song is a 2D barcode. You whip out your iPhone, snap a pic of the song your want to listen to, and off you go. Your earbuds are securely fastened and you are shopping and bopping in your own world. You've attainted that perfect balance of privacy in a public space and now you actually want to spend time in the store because you are streaming some free new music you really like. Retailers love having more people in their store and record labels love having new avenues to distribute their artists. Abercrombie wins because you had a great shopping experience and reinforced their brand with cool music that's tailored for you. I don't know what to call this idea or business, but it needs a name or handle so for now let's go with Soundtrack Shopping.
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