There has been much debate over the London Nude tech Calender – 12 guys, 12 girls doing a Calender Girls style nude Calender to raise money for Take Heart India.
The following is largely in response to this article:
http://tinyurl.com/yfos2e4
This is getting ridiculous. Think it’s time I waded in the debate. I haven’t done so yet because, quite frankly, I have more important things to do with my time and energy, like working on the relaunch of my company, than trying to justify actions that clearly don’t need justifying.
Hell, if I’d listened to all the people that had told me ‘no’ or ‘you can’t that’ or paid attention to people ‘bitching’ then I wouldn’t have achieved half the things I’ve achieved. Part of being an entrepreneur is about taking risks and as Alicia quite rightly says pushing boundaries. I understand from experience that if you do something differently people will react- it’s human nature, people are adverse to change. Constructive debate is good, but the debate surrounding the calendar is becoming a personal attack on all involved.
Get a grip: We don’t live in the 18th Century- You’d see more sexual suggestiveness in Madonna’s latest music video or in a copy of the latest Cosmopolitan magazine. These are people/publications that a vast majority of young females aspire to be like/read as standard media. If you’ve got beef with us going nude in a tasteful and dignified manor for charity then maybe you should be directing your beef at our explicit society as a whole.
Secondly, Eileen and Rebecca- you’ve set yourselves double standards in focusing on the women in the calendar. Hello? Has everyone forgotten that there are 12 men doing the calendar as well? So let me get this straight – If you had it your way you’d just have 12 men posing nude and not the women as ‘it could be detrimental to their business reputation’ and not the mens’? If the answer is yes then you yourselves are discriminating against women – Of course I agree that women are more susceptible to criticism, but if we accept this position and never challenge it, it will remain the status quo.
Faisal in saying there are ‘other ways to raise money for charity’ you are also discounting all the money raised by the original Calendar Girls for Cancer research and also the many ‘copy’ nude calendars which have collectively raised thousands for charities all over the world- are you saying they’d have raised more money doing a walk? I don’t think so. Eileen, Faisal- If you think being in tech we could have come up with something more ‘innovative’ -then why don’t you come up with something ‘original’ yourself and organise the whole thing? Go on, do it, I double dare you.
I believe the Internet is a catalyst for changing the way people are doing business. The stuffy, corporate mindset is shifting to a more personal one. Social media is a prime example of people wanting to connect on a human level- the views of those opposing the calendar seem to be stuck in the old corporate mindset. I envisage (and hope) that in the future this mindset will be lost and people wanting to write their own rules in business will be able to do so without having to waste time dealing with unfounded prejudice.
Take Heart is a brill charity. If you think western entrepreneurs are something – you should see India’s entrepreneurs- they are incredibly resourceful and can make huge returns on a small amount of investment. Even though a waste of time, I hope this debate, if anything, draws more attention to the cause and in turn raises more money for Take Heart India.
I just came across this and am thinking to myself WTF? I can see that by constant chipping away a nerve has been touched with a relevant response.
Personally I think the response in this post is very diplomatic and controlled.
It has pissed me off big time and I don’t even know the critics in question.
If someone is doing something pro-active for charity whatever it is, back them and support them to the hilt. Don’t sit there with the snipey comments.
To Rebbeca Thomas, who gives a s**t whether you think the calendars a good idea. Instead of taking the time of writing that post why didn’t you do something supportive or pro-active instead.
Also, you mention “Eileen” who was “director level at Yahoo” and “runs her own tech company”, who cares! How does that qualify her opinion on a subject like this. I’m fed up of people who used to work at a big brand think that means they are something special. She wasn’t the bloody co-founder of Yahoo.
“Tech Stars of London”, get out of this sad little tech world/bubble and playground politics. If you are an entrepreneur you don’t have to be known in the London tech scene, I know multi-millionare tech based entrepreneurs that if you were told their names or saw them in the street you wouldn’t know who they are. Let your company do the talking and focus on that, instead of negative views on charity based projects.
Do you think the Financial Times are going to cover this as a main piece in their business news! There is a big world out there, GET A LIFE!
To Faisal ‘other ways to raise money for charity’, take your time, I’m sure the children of India in question have got plenty of time while you come up with something.
To all the critics listen to this song by Will Smith ‘DONT SAY NOTHIN’
http://open.spotify.com/track/1Pu6iOyDAP5SiZuPZMl5o1
and to Hermione, this is very cathartic.
Feel free to come and criticise what I’ve said above.
Peace Out
Sunny
nudity is fine, esp for charity.
no problem at all and find it
innovative.
don’t be ashamed, be proud,
And how long will it take for my comment to appear on Computer Weekly ?!
I was very impressed when I heard about this calendar. Once again you’ve managed to pull together some cool aspirational people to do something fun for charity.
Such a shame that you’re all being challenged for doing so. Tell your critics they can be in the follow up .. perhaps it’s just a case of sour grapes.
There would be no tech scene, no support network, for up and coming entrepreneurs if you all just played it safe. thank you for not playing it safe.
Thanks Pascal – some people like to make life just that little but more difficult for others!
Hey Hermione, its really crap you even feel the need to defend yourself. The comments you and others make here 1. Its a great cause, 2. The carpers should get off their arses and do something constructive, 3. You can see more provocative stuff on YouTube, hardly need repeating but I just wanted you to know that support is out there. Feel the love ! Chris
Thanks Chris – yeah my point exactly- have you bee to the South or France in summer?!
Let’s be honest here.
This is a thinly-veiled circle jerk amongst the Twitterati.
I challenge the notion that this is an effort from the “Tech Community.” Those who are pushing this calendar are the usual suspects that latch onto the tech scene for their own self-promotion. They attend the parties, drink the free booze, pout and pose in the photos, gush liberally in their blogs, get free tickets for the next event and thus the cycle continues.
I also don’t buy that you’re doing this for charity. Watch your promo video. I count about 10 seconds talking about the kids in India, and about 1 minute 30 seconds of you talking about what sexy, successful “entrepreneurs” you all are.
It’s a distasteful, disingenuous wankfest.
Actually no, that’s unfair. It’s not a wankfest. You’re not even getting your kit off.
So does anyone know if these even made any money?