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Simply Amazing

Below is my comment that I would leave on recruiterearth but I can't.

My Comment:
I just watched this video and this is an example of how social networking can go wrong. It's an example of how free software can make it so easy to fool people, and the allure of perceived fame is just too strong for some to resist. Here is the original post with lots of comments.

Dave, It was very dumb of you to put your stamp of approval on that video. I'm sure when you went to Chris with the idea he jumped at the chance.

Comment by Amitai Givertz on February 1, 2009 at 8:38pm: This is sad.

I can see how many people might find the family snapshot of Jason endearing. Looking at the comments on the original post, that's how it appears to have been enjoyed.

And without knowing that the image was, as I understand it, obtained by Dave Mendoza without Jason's knowledge or consent, it would be easy to see why people might think Jason would have no problem with Dave's video, the content or his distributing it.

It would be easy to jump the gun and admonish Dave for this and harangue Chris LaVoie for that but we should be thanking them both for opening the door to an open and frank examination of what to do when social media gets "creepy" and peers behave like putzes.

For example, if you invite someone into your home and later learn that they have not only taken pictures of your family photographs but then refused to return them, allowing them to published instead, how would you feel?

If you were denied the opportunity to reply to a posting about you, however cute or innocuous it might appear, what would you do?

Of course, all that would compelling enough. But how about the equally interesting discussion we could have about personal brand and reputation?

Dave Mendoza shares a funny story? I don't think so.

Whatever the outcome of these talking points, the fact remains: This is sad.

Comment by Steve Levy on February 2, 2009 at 2:51pm: From a close confidante of mine - and Dave's - comes this picture of Dave as an angry young child before his hair changed color and he began to visit the Home Depot garden department for his hair cuts...

Later on while being taken for a stroll in the park by his parents, he saw this man...

...and was taken by the colorful shoes. The seed was planted.

With this notion of shoes in mind, Dave went about his merry networking way and realized that people flocked to him, especially chicks...

Dave thought, "This is easy. I think I'll start using my Little Dutch Boy motif to build a network that people will pay for!" So Dave began using LinkedIn (ooops! what happened???) and even fashioned a damn good website on which he showcased his ideas and friends.

Oh, life was grand! Until, that is, David caught a particularly virulent form of anablephobia.

Clearly this had a negative impact on his networking skills: Without the ability to look up, he couldn't see his LinkedIness slipping away. His friends now saw themselves being used as fodder to build other networks. Could this be true?

Then came the infamous post where Dave shows the world our Slouchie as a cowboy. Though offered in fun (I know about offering things in fun) it betrayed confidences (I'm pretty sure I haven't done this). The problem here is that the perception is that Dave's video was posted with malicious intent...

...I don't believe this is the case.

To me, the issue here is how one builds communities and the role of loyalty. In reading the comments to Dave's original post on the other recruiting Ning site, I noticed that everyone took Dave's video as humor and not one seriously considered how Jason would feel. My favorite comment was Michelle Hensler's comment, What an adorable friendship between these two. Adorable?

I also noticed that very few of the commentors are active members of RBC - this means little on face value but in a deeper context it means that few know Jason. We all know that I have fun with people but for the most part I call them first (okay, there are a few people I don't call first but I plead mercy) and let them know of my intentions. This has been my policy since I began blogging back in 2004; the privilege of being given a forum is something that I owe to both Jason and David Manaster and I do not take this bully pulpit lightly.

In the end, we have a responsibility within our community as well as how others perceive our profession. Dave, I love you but you betrayed a trust here. I'm sure you'll both find ways to work it out.