Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Ken the Rock and Roll Barber

You wouldn't know it from the decor or the square footage, but Ken's barber shop in San Jose is a place of learning.

Here's the short review I posted on Yelp after my first haircut with Ken:

A truism plaguing the contemporary metropolitan man is that men don't know how to be men, especially when it comes to hair. "Back in the day," as Ken explains, "getting a hair cut was about necessity, not about status." I learned this lesson the hard way after forking over 70 bucks at a local salon for a "stylish" hair cut. Take a lesson from me, if you want a good haircut go to Ken. He's been at it for 25 years. You'll feel more like a man all the way home.

My only regret is that I wish my hair would grow quicker so I could spend more time in Ken's shop. As I was getting my cut today, Ken and I talked about business basics, advertising, among other things. I told Ken that even though I've just finished a master's in mass comm. with a concentration in advertising, I've found that the only truly meaningful way to advertise is the simplest, namely, word of mouth (a clunky expression in the ad jargon that means simply treating people right so they tell others). He agreed and added that there's nothing more frustrating for him than receiving phone calls from ad people that get defensive when he tells them directly that they don't know what he needs.

During our conversation, I resolved to not do design work for anyone that I don't know. Of course, I don't mean that I won't be open to serendipitous encounters and new business leads from friends and such. I just want to emulate Ken, a man who has been plying his craft for over 25 years, and has learned some things about how to keep clients for the long haul.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Intricacies of The Social Network

The social network is not a film. It is a litmus test for the beliefs of the audience concerning the place of networks in our life and their acceptance/rejection of the people that brought these gadgets to fruition.


It is the only film that I was enticed to see solely on the basis of its reviews. The reviewers (and the film makers themselves) seemed to be astonished by the audience reaction to the film. Reviewer after reviewer pointed out the polarizing effect that the film had on watchers, leading to spirited arguments outside of movie theaters.

This scenario played itself out with me and my entourage to a tee. My camp divided itself into the Zuckerberg haters, who could not forgive him for what they perceived as his ruthless treatment of those who stood in the way of his vision. The other camp felt cathartically inspired by the decidedly non-glamourous image of a socially autistic techie engaging in some gratifying battles with the establishment and other forces of conformity.

Like most reviewers, I also believe that the importance of this film is in the types of debate that it engenders. These debates touch on some important issues such as the nefarious consequences of the increasing mediation of our personal relationships. But I also believe that there are political and class issues in the film that we ought to engage. The political message of the film is the overthrow of old business models, and, by implication, the musty, oaky, nepotistic class system within which they thrive.

Even so, I'm still not sure...will Zuckerberg be a hero or a villain? I'm afraid that this film, more than anything, represents the high mark in the history of Facebook. And along with being a perceptive, subtle and engaging interpretation of its triumph, it also, unintentionally, suggests that this is the beginning of the end.