How To Be Kobe Bryant In The Workplace
If you were to take away the Hollywood sign, most everyone would notice and panic. Similar to that sentiment, if Kobe Bryant were to play basketball in any city other than Los Angeles, people would be in disarray and begin a ‘bring Kobe back’ campaign. While Kobe leaving LA may seem like a far off issue, Kobe has become such an established brand in Los Angeles, that Los Angeles without Kobe is like a sandwich with no bread. While the average fan can only imagine being Kobe Bryant and making the clutch shot in the last moments of a game, that doesn’t mean you can’t be Kobe Bryant in the workplace.
When Kobe entered the NBA he was just 17 years old at the time. As a rookie, scouts and NBA analysts saw flashes of brilliance, but also saw streaks of immaturity and lack of discipline. For most of us, we too go through something similar to what Kobe had to go through. When starting a job, we try to do the best we can, but that doesn’t mean we always do it right. Kobe’s role during his first year was to learn and play the role he was given which was off the bench at the time. When starting with a company it is important to spend time learning the in’s and out’s of how the company runs and also to perform your tasks to the best of your abilities. Doing so will guarantee you more ‘playing time’ later on as you gain the the respect of your peers and seniors. (more…)
Failure: Why Are People Laughing?
If you have ever used Twitter, you may have come across the infamous ‘fail whale.’ While you may wonder what the fail whale actually is, it is quite self-explanatory. When their is an error or an overload of users on Twitter, users will find themselves staring a whale being carried over water by tiny birds. With so many errors on Twitter and users finding themselves staring at a fail whale so often, one would expect angry and annoyed tweeples. Instead, it is quite the opposite.
The fail whale has become something of a phenomenon in that what was just supposed to be an error page for Twitter, has now become an iconic logo. Originally created by Twitter user yiyinglu, the fail whale has made ‘failure’ profitable and also amusing.
Enjoying Others Fail
So what is about the fail whale that makes failure acceptable? Most would agree that failure is a disappointing and it would be shocking to hear someone say that they take pleasure out of seeing someone ‘fail.’ Still, it is a growing trend that is making failure become laughable and amusing.
The biggest reason for this growing trend stems from the direction that television shows and most recently the internet have begun to dip toward. For the last 19 years, America’s Funniest Home Videos has been bringing laughter to families across the nation. While shows consist of dogs doing tricks and kids saying funny things, it does include segments where someone ultimately ‘fails’ and gets hurt. This has been AFHV’s bread and butter. Without it, they wouldn’t be the same. Audiences watch because they want to see failure. Not only do they want it, but they almost demand it.
(more…)
The Shoe That Became A Lifestyle
As I signed on the dotted line, I signed away $143.24. In return, I was given the newest pair of Kobe’s to hit stores. While some may consider it a waste, some consider it hobby and to others a passion. Like car collectors, coin collectors or even stamp collectors, shoe collectors are plenty in numbers.
The shoe that started it all became the starting point of what would undoubtedly launch a new chapter in lifestyle and culture. The Air Jordan 1.
Launching in 1985, Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan’s, were first banned by the NBA for its violation of its color schemes. Still this did nothing but help the sales of the Air Jordan’s. Instead, the Air Jordan’s were advertised as being the reason that Michael was so good in the first place. They made him so good, the NBA wouldn’t allow him to use them. Of course, this made people want them more. Along with the new shoe came Michael Jordan himself. Michael Jordan became one of the most popular sports figure of his time. Through his flashy dunks and acrobatic moves, MJ won fans on and off the court.
The new Air Jordan’s created a whole now lifestyle and culture. From inner city kids who made them a must-have, to suburban kids who wanted to have a piece of “his greatness”, the shoe became a cultural lightning bolt. Selling at around three figures, Air Jordan’s made getting one a status symbol as well as lifestyle. Proof of which can be seen from gang violence in which individuals were killed for there Jordan’s.
While many would say that they are just ’shoes’, let us dissect what exactly they mean by that. As a society we have certain ideas on what is appropriate attire. For example, wearing a suit and tie to a meeting is appropriate while wearing jeans is not. The Air Jordan has become a new symbol. Not only does it represent just a ’shoe’, but it represents the whole lifestyle and culture of basketball. Athletes buy the shoes in hopes that they can have a shed of ‘Jordan’ in them, while others buy them just to be part of the culture. In some cases, Jordan’s have become part of ones wardrobe on a daily basis.
Whatever the case may be, when a boy or girl begins to tie the laces to there Jordan’s they are putting on a piece of history. They are putting on the shoe that Michael Jordan helped create. Michael Jordan wanted to create a shoe that was stylish and trend setting while comfortable and supportive to the athlete. Not only has he done this, but he has created something else.
The Lifestyle.
