Thursday, August 21

corporate goth

“A co-worker might be afraid of you because they know that you’re goth, because of your face, or because you do strange things like play role-playing games and think you’re a vampire,” says Scurry. “People can get turned off by that in the workplace.”

uh, you think? what i don't get about this is the insistence on bringing up your personal shit at work. why on earth would you be telling your coworkers that you like role-playing games or that you think you are a vampire? i have a really impressive drinking hobby but you don't see me explaining it to all and sundry, and i work at time out! hell, kids, just shut up about being vampires and no one is going to get all in your business. it's a simple equation! you don't need a new job just cos you wanna be crazy, you need a new common sense.

5 comments:

Ross Noren said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ross Noren said...

Scurry has since collected her Corporate Goth tips in a 26-page manual, Corporate Goth 101: Top Strategies for Bludgeoning to Death the 7 Most Common Workplace Problems, available for $18.95.
...

The manual also includes suggestions for 35 other goth workplace challenges, including the 19th most commonly reported problem: “Having to hide Pentacles due to stereotypes that they’re satanic symbols”; the 26th: “Perception by other goths that they’ve sold out”; and the 29th: “Long gothic skirt always getting caught in the rolling chairs at work.”


Here's a tip, kids: You can find solutions to all of these thorny dilemmas in The Onion for absolutely free!

Anonymous said...

She's fuckin' 25. What the hell does she know about Goth? People suck.

XaiN AKIRA said...

Then that’s a double standard. “normal” people can talk about their hobbies (golf, let’s say), but maybe I want the freedom to talk about mine too (role-playing). Why I do it is the same reason anyone else might, small talk and not to seem as introverted and be part of said conversation taking place (really to mask my naturally annoyed by people tendency, but that’s beside the point). Also, the way I read it it sounded like the coworker though they were a vampire, not that the Goth person thought they were. So maybe that comment is out of context. Probably, but not sure. Also, in the Washington city paper blog Scurry gives basically the advice you’re giving about not talking about some of that stuff. She says ““If your cat’s name is Stigmata or Detriment, maybe you should talk about something else.” (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/tag/ebony-tara-scurry/)

The tip manual is actually pretty helpful, and a fun read, really. When I signed up for the mailing list thing a few months ago, it was for free, but I guess you’re trying to be funny with The Onion reference or something. I mean, if you don’t sign up for the newsletter, you do have to pay the $18 or whatever. On the website it says she did an analysis and that’s how the problems were found. So if they’re peoples problems – skirt caught in chair – then hey, it’s what it is. Maybe she’s just keeping it real.

Maybe what she provides isn’t for people who have as much “new common sense” as you do who don’t care about suppressing themselves at work like you do. You don’t seem to have that issue, but others do. Maybe I *want* to work somewhere where I can talk about my drinking hobby or whatever my ‘different’ hobby is and still get paid decent. Actually drinking it a weird example and doesn’t really fit, but I think you get what I mean. At least a role-playing hobby most likely won’t kill someone if done in excesses or whatever

As for the age thing, the article is oldish now, but I saw that too and she’s got credentials and references out the wahzoo if you look at her site and MySpace page, like more than the average 35 year old or something. She obviously has her stuff together to get where she is so fast. Since signing up, I’ve been getting her newsletter and she’s not all about “Goth” she’s more of a career/resume coach for the whole alternative umbrella, really. I’m more LARP and anime myself. But I know the article you’re referencing in the Washington City Paper only really focuses on the Goth part though. That’s where I first heard about everything and first checked it out.

ally said...

have you considered working for suicide girls?