What You Do Is You

Simple philosophy, but overlooked by many. Your actions is who you are, not what you look like, believe in or associate yourself with.

This is from a designers standpoint: what are you doing to further the creative side of life?

Ever think of a music critic who blasts a local bands new show? I think of the motivations of the critic, in a hot room with a bad smell and lights pointed at someone else, pissed that they are not discovering the next Beatles or other ‘chance of getting hit my a meteor’ type odds. With the negative review, even if the band is bad, nothing good for the community is gained. Perhaps you sell more copies of the magazine. That is it. Negative promotion of others (especially anonymously) is an overly self serving act.

You can see the effects of years of non community building leadership by promoters, music snobs (which I count myself as one) and critics. Empty local music scenes.

Think of how dirty mean YouTube comments can be. Vimeo has a business plan thriving on just this- be positive, encourage people and they will continue providing awesome content. If you don’t, they won’t.

There are two trends right now: the rise of social media ‘nice guys’ and the rise of no point negative comments.

Uncov had this to say:

This is the last Uncov. Ever. I have been getting tired of it, and this has been manifesting itself in my writing. After seeing the spectacle at the Crunchies, I think it’s finally time to quit.

This overheard statement this morning sums it up: “Uncov is now no more, ironically still adding no value to anything.” Ironic that he ends it right after he meets the man he has been saying ‘fail’ about so often. It is much harder to hate, or be negative someone in person.

Will nice guys (and girls) win? That is a trend to watch in 2008.


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7 responses to “What You Do Is You”

  1. Kath Avatar

    Maybe the way they win is by being nice and spreading the niceness and good will around as much as they can?

    There is always a positive way to criticize and inspire someone to reach the potential of their talents. Sadly, not everyone has the patience or knowledge that’s needed to make it happen.

  2. Scott A. Avatar

    Hear hear. The cynic in me liked Uncov (if only for the fact that Ted at times seemed to be the only thing preventing a startup from trying to market a kernel written in JavaScript). It was entertaining from time to time, sure, but always at someone’s expense.

    Time’s big Web 2.0 love-fest a year or so ago was cool (if over the top):

    “It’s a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before…It’s about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.”

    My Internet’s powered by love and good coffee and that “Birds and the Bees” song from the Volkswagen Rabbit commercial two summers ago.

  3. Andrew Hyde Avatar

    @Kath very good point about the ways to give feedback that inspires

    @Scott that is a great quote, funny to read now, we are still in it

  4. hubs Avatar

    my 35 years have taught me that the nice guys never win. that’s never stopped me from trying to be one though.

  5. anonymous Avatar
    anonymous

    a trend to watch in 08 is me fucking your girlfriend. nice guys always lose.

  6. Andrew Hyde Avatar

    Oh yes, the great anonymous comment

  7. Micah Baldwin Avatar

    For those that think the anonymous comment was mine. 1) You clearly are fucking stupid, since I claim everything I say; and 2) you clearly are fucking stupid, so I need to repeat myself.

    Andrew, its an awful thing to tie what people do to their definition as a person. The truth is that is not WHAT you do that defines the person, it is HOW you do it.

    Its that subtle distinction that makes all the difference.

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