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Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

bloomberg.com

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Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#121

Post by alexasmyths »

bdcravens wrote: post #27
davidu wrote: post #7

Pathetic. The whole point is to celebrate with the employees and their families and recognize the hard work everyone has put in over the year. A stranger not connected to an employee would take away from that value. If you want more women at the event, hire more women at the company and create a culture that encourages that.

> If you want more women at the event This has nothing to do with equality. They aren't hiring these models as equals, but for the misogynistic dynamic (while removing the organic nature of opposite-sex interaction)

"but for the misogynistic dynamic"

Male appreciation of female company is utterly and absolutely in not 'misogynistic'.

Not only that - it's also very normal, and frankly good.

If people are treated as sexual objects, then you can complain.

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#122

Post by alexasmyths »

jordigh wrote: post #56
throwaway0255 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They aren't hiring these models as equals, but for the misogynistic dynamic Interesting, my mind goes straight to this being incredibly demeaning toward the legitimate male attendees of the party. Didn't even occur to me that somebody would have the opposite interpretation. That'd be my only thought at the party. "They had to pay this good-looking person to pretend to talk to me." I don't see how this is misogynist…

It's misogynistic because it commodifies women. Having a woman to talk to is something that you can just buy, like a car or a nice meal. They're not treated as people, just as consummables.

Not only does it not commodify women, you're assumption that men will treat them as objects is possibly bigoted.

Men having polite conversations with women is 'wrong' only in a dystopian future.

I personally think it's a little ridiculous and would not want to attend, nor would I put together a party like that, but it's a matter of social taste, not morality.

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#123

Post by twobyfour »

jasode wrote: post #61
throwawayjava wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IDK. My logical brain says "it's not 1950 anymore; the PR blow-black has the potential to be truly brutal." My emotional brain says "This is horridly objectifying and super awkward."

>"it's not 1950 anymore; the PR blow-black has the potential to be truly brutal." For that particular party, there definitely wasn't blowback because the next morning, everybody talked about how amazing it was. I think it caught everyone off guard because it was unexpected and it gave attendees happy memories. (Yes, maybe the attendees should have been morally outraged but I can only report how they actually responde…

Everyone?

I take it there were no women on your team?

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#124

Post by Nullabillity »

buserror wrote: post #120

I actually don't see much of a problem. These models are hired to have a chat with nerds, and the nerds are actually paid (directly and indirectly) to talk to them. Everyone is paid to be at that party and look reasonably good for the appearance of a good time. Most 'nerds' there don't enjoy being there either, they do it because they are professionals... like the models they are mingling with...? Any issue there? I…

Under that reasoning, why bother with the party to begin with?

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#125

Post by soufron »

jasode wrote: post #61
throwawayjava wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IDK. My logical brain says "it's not 1950 anymore; the PR blow-black has the potential to be truly brutal." My emotional brain says "This is horridly objectifying and super awkward."

>"it's not 1950 anymore; the PR blow-black has the potential to be truly brutal." For that particular party, there definitely wasn't blowback because the next morning, everybody talked about how amazing it was. I think it caught everyone off guard because it was unexpected and it gave attendees happy memories. (Yes, maybe the attendees should have been morally outraged but I can only report how they actually responde…

Probably, but SV engineers are not kids, and these women are not entertaining children in mickey costumes.

Seeing so many people defending this practice is really worrisome with regards to the lack of morals in SV.

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#126

Post by notyourday »

jasode wrote: post #8

Yes, this practice of models at parties brings back memories. In 2000, a very well-known enterprise software company (Northeast not Silicon Valley) hosted a conference for customers and had a night party for the attendees. The most memorable thing I remember was the group of extremely pretty women on roller skates mingling with the crowd. E.g. they'd skate up and ask random attendees, "Hey where are you from? Are you…

The article is rubbish:

This happens in every industry where people make serious money. During the finance boom it happened in finance. Right the biotech boom it happened in biotech. Right now it is a tech boom, so it is happening in tech.

In this specific case the "models" are not the likes of Karolina Kurkova or the woman in the photo. At best they would be commercial models i.e. the ones that pose in clothes inside J.C. Penny during the holiday season.

It is also extremely unfortunate that the author of the piece allowed the agency owner to get away with a total puff piece - owners do not reject bookings from existing reasonably vetted clients because the clients request short skirts or plunging necklines ( of course it would be rejected if the client is hookers-and-blow.com ). If a legitimate company wanted two dwarfs to wrestle in jello for a holiday party, they would be found -- it just a matter of price. The price now is just higher. Most of the 'low-rent' market is in China (all over) where they are booked daily for nightclub appearances, 'high rent' in mostly in Moscow, RU.

P.S. Do notice that the agency CEO has a Russian name.

[Edit after the downvotes]: Here, let me google this for you:

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/34811/1/my-life-...

http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/2120857...

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7741206-questions-anger-a...

http://modelingwisdom.com/what-is-commercial-modeling

http://moscowdoesntbelieveintears.blogspot.com/

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#127

Post by theshrike79 »

jordigh wrote: post #106
GCU-Empiricist wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like hiring a software engineer to make code for you?

It's not comparable. A programmer spent a lot of time honing their craft, faces every day challenges, has growth opportunities, can aspire to higher salaries through tough work, has growth opportunities, can influence the world around them and create new things. Coding yields power. While modelling may require difficult labour, it's mostly just "congratulations for your face".

Let's see you put on a bikini on the beach during winter and pretend you're not freezing your ass off to shoot the catalog for next summer.

Now do it for 12 hours straight. Yes, it's just a pretty face, no skill required.

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#128

Post by notyourday »

subway wrote: post #86
Helmet wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My logical brain goes: I bet these women are getting paid a pretty penny to go to some stupid party and mingle with the patrons. Probably get drinks and food on the house too. Lucky bastards!

Say what now? Why would you think they're being paid a pretty penny? Odds are they're doing it to scrape by, and would much prefer having the evening to spend with their friends and family rather than having to put on a charade.

Well, on a low end they are making about $25/hour after agency fees.

On a high end they are walking away with a few thousand dollars.

On a really high end they just made your yearly salary in a day - there was if I recall correctly a bank in Russia that flew a dozen of currently reasonably well known models for its New Year's party.

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#129

Post by [deleted] »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #59
astrowilliam wrote: post #21

This has been happening at tech companies for decades. Not only are there models at the parties, but there's entertainment, food, drinks, etc. It's a good time, enjoy yourself and don't take it too seriously. This really isn't the end of the World.

It wouldn’t be so bad if they had male models also. Actually, I’m sure someone could make that into a winning business.

[deleted]

Re: Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models into This Year’s Holiday Parties

#130

Post by buserror »

Nullabillity wrote: post #124
buserror wrote: post #120

I actually don't see much of a problem. These models are hired to have a chat with nerds, and the nerds are actually paid (directly and indirectly) to talk to them. Everyone is paid to be at that party and look reasonably good for the appearance of a good time. Most 'nerds' there don't enjoy being there either, they do it because they are professionals... like the models they are mingling with...? Any issue there? I…

Under that reasoning, why bother with the party to begin with?

Because, appearances? I mean, in many companies, you have to appear at socials -- remember, execs have zero clues what you are doing, all they know is what they can see and touch.
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