The Healing Powers Of The F-Bomb In Digital Signage

May 31, 2017 by guest author, Mitch Leathers

Guest Post: Luis Villafane, Maler

I love the English language, and I have a particular affection for the F word. It gives so much more meaning to my constant bitching that it is really hard to not use it.

F this, F that … it’s just wonderful.

Luis Villafane

I have had cases when, in formal meetings, the word has slipped out of my mouth.  I, of course, have profusely apologized right away … even though I meant to drop the F-Bomb.

For example:

“How the f are you going to do that, if you cannot f-ing accomplish on time what you have now?

Ooops …

My “old” clients know how I am, and they already know that, although I do have a few university degrees, I did learn English in a bar. Well, not in a bar, but in a Greek restaurant working as a dishwasher, or doing gardening, or roofing, or, or … so many crappy jobs to get a higher education … but at least I learned the language. 🙂

So … you’re thinking at this point, WTF does the F word have to do with digital signage?  It’s the life many of us lead, and the word that gets us through a lot of days.

Screaming out the F word when I get a fifth change request for the same content booking.  Or telling a system to download new content for the F-ing tenth billion time … and still wont f-ing do it.  Ha!

Another good use is when you make a mistake.  Ok, not a mistake, but when you really f-ed up.  Nothing explains it better.  You could use “screw up,” but it just doesn’t have the same dramatic connotation.  F-up means a major screw up.  When you thought you were smarter than everyone else, that you could do things differently and faster … and guess what … you F-ed up. And because of that, you are now f-ed, and fired.

You see, it really is the best word to describe these digital signage situations.

It also applies perfectly to some CMS applications.  You could say:

1. This CMS is so complicated … or;
2. This CMS is so f-ing complicated.

With the first one, it implies you will, at some point, give it a chance to figure out the complexity.  It implies you are looking at it and trying to work with it. The second one, however, means it is just a stupid application, with no real thought behind it … and you will not spend one more second with it.

You see, it’s like the F word was made for digital signage.

We can keep going …

So, you come out of a first meeting with a new prospective clients Marketing department. They believe they understand corporate digital signage systems. You have spent almost an hour explaining how everything comes together, educating them, slowly bringing them into the “dark side” of digital signage.

Then, after the meeting, you sit outside waiting for a taxi, and all that passes through your head is:

“They don’t have the slightest f-ing idea what I was talking about …”

Although they are brilliant at what they do, they have no clue about this stuff, and everything you said went into one ear and left through the other, even without hitting a neuron for a hint of smart thought.

Where is the really cool F word in this story?  Well, when you get back to the office and someone asks you:  “How did it go?” …  and you, so immensely tired, disappointed and depressed, reply…  “Well, F F F F F F F… and F.”

The huge weight is lifted; and all because of one word.