You Spin Me Right Round
Friday, June 08, 2007
It’s been a busy week and I am thinking about what to write. The news lately has been dominated by tuberculosis, kidnappings and a certain someone who has made it clear that money can buy you everything, including a ticket out of jail. So I figured I would devote this week’s post to the topic of spin. We PR professionals always get flack for it. But are we really the only culprits? In my mind, spin is what makes the world go round. Take this week’s Harvard commencement as a prime example. Bill Gates was there making a speech on the importance of being altruistic. Let me remind you, in case you forgot, that this is coming from the king of Microsoft. The same company that a couple of weeks ago announced that open source technology violates its many patents and users of it should be paying royalties to Microsoft! Yes, Gates has given millions to education and he is one of the world’s biggest philanthropists, but let’s just say that Google’s “no evil” philosophy doesn’t come from the Austin Powers trilogy… So Gates’ generosity can be construed as a PR campaign. But what about the fact that Gates did not even graduate from Harvard? In fact, he dropped out and doesn’t even have a Bachelor’s degree. I don’t know about you, but I don’t recall my parents or teachers ever telling me, “College is a good decision, but if you have bigger ideas, follow those! Who knows where they can lead you!” In fact, I was among those drilled to believe that college is the be all and end all of my life and that if I did not attend a prestigious college, I would be doomed to life as a vagabond. This is the philosophy of the NYC private school sector. Now that I have passed through the system and have a degree from Boston University under my belt, I realize just how few people actually attend those coveted schools and I wonder: has my pricey degree gotten me anywhere I would have otherwise not been? I don’t know the answer to that, but the question brings to light another. Didn’t all that pressure or that spin, if you will, drive me to do my best? In the end, was I not deceived for my own good? Life, along with my BU Communications Degree, has shown me that truth comes in many shades of grey.
posted by Gina Bolotinsky
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