Slashdot Mirror
How 'Rock Star' Became a Business Buzzword
HughPickens.com writes: Carina Chocano writes in the NYT that once, a long time ago, a rock star was a free-spirited, convention-flouting artist/rebel/hero/Dionysian fertility god who fronted a world-famous band, sold millions of records and headlined stadium concerts where people were trampled in frenzies of cultlike fervor. Now 'rock star'' has made a complete about-face and in its new incarnation, it is more likely to refer to a programmer, salesperson, social-media strategist, business-to-business telemarketer, recruiter, management consultant or celebrity pastry chef than to a person in a band. The term has become shorthand for a virtuosity so exalted it borders on genius — only for some repetitive, detail-oriented task. According to Chocano, posting a listing for a job for which only ''rock stars'' need apply casts an H.R. manager as a kind of corporate Svengali; "That nobody is looking for a front-end developer who is addicted to heroin or who bites the heads off doves in conference rooms goes without saying. Pretty much anyone can be a ''rock star'' these days — except actual rock stars, who are encouraged to think of themselves as brands."
Why is everyone in porn a 'porn star'? Not everyone can be a star. Why are there no porn character actors?
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
Ego branding for the sake of hiring egotistical developers and analysts. Therein lies the rub.
A "rock star" can be a real thing. It could be someone who continually, and repeatedly, produces great work that impacts the entire community. These people exist most don't want the branding. But companies can't hire them; they're too expensive.
So the "rock star" became the one-hit wonder person. Someone who released a nifty script on github and gave a con talk on it. Two years ago.
Slowly, over time, that rock star status has turned into "most influential". That is, those with the most twitter followers, regardless of how good they are at their craft. Don't know anything beyond basic Ruby coding and lack knowledge of security programming... but have 50K followers? Rock Star! HIRED!
Considering oneself a rock star in order to apply for such a job breaks the whole "No Asshole Rule" for hiring.
The worst part isn't the rebranding. It is none of these f... businesses seeking for rock stars will ever pay the money a rock star deserves. That's just hilarious to read a position description asking for a rock star programmer or whatever, it usually means you will be paid peanuts and you are expected to do miracles in exchange. The HR people are the worst dumbasses on this planet. Never apply for such a position.
Achille Talon
Hop!
Realizing id reached a heightened plane of potential, I started branding myself as a rockstar ages ago. I've even got my own talent manager. My clients, or fan-danglers as i call them, are generally anxious to get their hands on a 30something white guy with a slight gut and a penchant for autistic levels of Linux coding. Walking into the office I'm greeted with a bevy of young project managers and middle managers, their brows pregnant with sweat and their minds crucified by my presence. Dorris, the 68 year old long-timer will look up from the copier in awe and exclaim, "we are out of cyan again." Im just that majestic.
Often times, after my rockstar power lunch consisting of a double-stuffed chipotle burrito, I'll pick up a leg and crank loose a show stopping acapella solo from my album 'winds of a burrito timeless.' "jesus" my coworkers will amaze, "holy christ what was that!?" they'll remark. Its all in a days work for a rockstar like me and on special days, ill sometimes visit the rehearsal studio down the hall for the porcelain remix. Its a rough life as a rockstar, but someones got to eat 9 donuts from the breakroom every thursday and, well, i guess im just a special kind of person.
Good people go to bed earlier.
When someone uses the phrase “rock star” in a context other than music or energy drinks, it translates to me as “insufferable prima donna.” I don’t want rock stars, I want solid session musicians.