And from my own experience, I’m well aware of ALL the perils of working communications on the corporate side.

I feel fortunate now that I’m doing something I really enjoy, and that I believe helps people. If I choose to grow the agency, I would work hard to retain the things I like about it. I would not hire “strumpettes” or snake-oil salesmen. And I think that could be a pretty cool company.

Then again, I’m busting at the seams with business right now and resisting hiring with everything I have. I’m sure that’s partially because I know how difficult it is to grow a business that retains the values you start it with.

I have a Master’s degree in public relations but have steadfastly avoided the “business” (i.e. agencies and PRSA to be exact) instead quietly working media relations for a small non-profit.

All I can say is……yeah…..Amanda has given me a HUGE reminder of why I’ll NEVER do agency work. And for the record……not going back to Strumpette either………

Aint no rules, aint no vow, we can do it anyhow:
Ini will see you through,
cos everyday we pay the price with a little sacrifice,
Jammin till the jam is through.

For example, we’re jealous of that actor on Lost who is dating our girlfriend, Evangeline Lilly.

Closer to home, we’re jealous of Steve Rubel for getting more ink than us.

But Strumpette, we just feel a little sorry for. Strumpette is clearly someone unhappy about the work they do (or, more likely, used to do). To have dedicated your life (supposedly) to a profession that you believe has no redeeming value to society is kind of sad.

To compound that by writing very cruel things about normal, everyday people (not industry execs as Kurtz suggests, but regular folks at small firms or mid-level managers at larger ones) suggests someone who has a lot of emptiness inside.

I wouldn’t trade all the misguided attention in the world for that fate.