The Hello Bar is a simple web toolbar that engages users and communicates a call to action.

Narcissism is killing us

by tdhurst · 16 comments

The first web boom was about money. Thousands of people made tons of money (on paper) making apps they thought the world would want forever.

Everything grew too big too fast and died a quick, painful death, taking all the money with it. Looking back, we’ll remember the time for huge offices, rich youngsters and more dumb millionaires than we’ll probably ever see again.

And it’s happening again. Sure, the money isn’t the same with social media, but the narcissism is. We have conferences that congratulate ourselves, we call each other rockstars* and we spend too much time talking to each other.

Christ people, you HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING YET**. We’re more connected than ever before. The average person has more power than anything before. And all we’ve done is talk to each other.

So shut up. Stop patting yourselves on the back. Get to work. Make something happen. Stop putting on conferences that do nothing more than telling us you’re on Twitter, or use Facebook.

Tell us what’s next.

*For the love of god none of you people are fucking rock stars and you’re dipshits for saying that. Can you make millions of people give you money, put your poster on the wall or worship you? Nope, so STOP OVERUSING THAT TERM. Yes, Chris Brogan, even you.

Edit: Now Jay Baer too? Please STOP.

**As Jason states below, real revenue has been generated and things are happening, it just seems premature, to me, to congratulate ourselves just for stepping up to the plate and hitting a single.

Tagged as: radian6 is ridiculous, social media, stop congratulating yourself

  • http://wesleytech.com/ WesleyTech

    Absolutely agree with you on the “SM Rockstar” cliche. Whenever I see someone describing themselves as such, it makes me think that person is a dumb@$$.

  • http://wesleytech.com WesleyTech

    Absolutely agree with you on the “SM Rockstar” cliche. Whenever I see someone describing themselves as such, it makes me think that person is a dumb@$$.

  • http://kaitlinfoley.com/ Kaitlin

    So, if I swing this project I’m working on and actually help book a tour entirely using social media… that doesn’t make me a rockstar?

  • http://kaitlinfoley.com Kaitlin

    So, if I swing this project I’m working on and actually help book a tour entirely using social media… that doesn’t make me a rockstar?

  • Timmy

    agreed. but what if guitar hero says im a rockstar? can i be one then?

  • Timmy

    agreed. but what if guitar hero says im a rockstar? can i be one then?

  • http://www.convinceandconvert.com/ Jason Baer

    I agree, actually. I’m not a big fan of the “rock stars” moniker, and certainly don’t pretend to be one. However, my recent speech to the Association of Management Consulting Firms used that title in an effort to grab attention from a group of high-level, old-school guys from companies like McKinsey and Deloitte.

    Taken literally, I concur. The whole thing is ridiculous.

    As a marketing device, it has its uses, and that’s where I’m coming from.

    I go to pretty great lengths to not fall into the self-congratulatory pool, and I’ll certainly take exception to the notion that nobody involved in the social media industry has done anything. There’s a ton of exciting things happening, generating real revenue for real companies.

    I agree the hype meter is red lining, but to take shots at the whole category and say nothing has been done yet is incorrect.

  • http://www.convinceandconvert.com Jason Baer

    I agree, actually. I’m not a big fan of the “rock stars” moniker, and certainly don’t pretend to be one. However, my recent speech to the Association of Management Consulting Firms used that title in an effort to grab attention from a group of high-level, old-school guys from companies like McKinsey and Deloitte.

    Taken literally, I concur. The whole thing is ridiculous.

    As a marketing device, it has its uses, and that’s where I’m coming from.

    I go to pretty great lengths to not fall into the self-congratulatory pool, and I’ll certainly take exception to the notion that nobody involved in the social media industry has done anything. There’s a ton of exciting things happening, generating real revenue for real companies.

    I agree the hype meter is red lining, but to take shots at the whole category and say nothing has been done yet is incorrect.

  • http://tdhurst.com tdhurst

    Timmy –
    I would say Guitar Hero counts, yes.

  • http://www.tylerhurst.com tdhurst

    Timmy –
    I would say Guitar Hero counts, yes.

  • http://tdhurst.com tdhurst

    Jason -
    I agree. Perhaps I should have said we’re over-congratulating ourselves for the work done thus far, instead of what I wrote.

  • http://www.tylerhurst.com tdhurst

    Jason -
    I agree. Perhaps I should have said we’re over-congratulating ourselves for the work done thus far, instead of what I wrote.

  • http://rynoweb.com Chuck Reynolds

    So I can’t use czar, juggernaut, god, all-star anymore? Come on it was fun! ;) Loved changing my title every week or two to screw with people.

    Yeah the sudden rush of “experts” and “consultants” were out of control and still are…. It’s the agencies and marketing people that think they have a clue and sell it as such

  • http://chuckreynolds.us Chuck Reynolds

    So I can’t use czar, juggernaut, god, all-star anymore? Come on it was fun! ;) Loved changing my title every week or two to screw with people.

    Yeah the sudden rush of “experts” and “consultants” were out of control and still are…. It’s the agencies and marketing people that think they have a clue and sell it as such

  • http://twitter.com/DMurrow Dave Murrow

    The final word on tech 'rockstars' from Intel?
    http://www.intel.com/tomorrow/?dfaid=1&crtvid=3…

  • http://twitter.com/DMurrow Dave Murrow

    The final word on tech 'rockstars' from Intel?
    http://www.intel.com/tomorrow/?dfaid=1&crtvid=3…

Previous post:

Next post: