In the uncertainty of our ever shifting art times; where anybody could be somebody any minute (and nobody the next),  nobody risks disappointing a conversation partner who might eventually outrank him, politeness is religion and negation does not sound like one. It sounds like an affirmation. A few examples. The Joy of Cultural Communication-How to speak creative PR

Going over the different self help or DIY book covers and in PR this is usually as far as you need to go,  you cannot help but notice that even the titles of these books, which by definition address beginners in whatever field, get more stressful  and competitive over the years. Starting up with the “Joy of ...“ , The Joy of Cooking; the Joy of Sex; and many other joys of the golden decade of the 60s; we moved over to How to...in ...days, when Time became a currency in the 90s and to todays downright cruel „ ....for Dummies“

As with tourists and artists, beginners are frowned upon. Unsuccessful, clueless beginners of course, not over night successful start ups. A disgrace really- the extent  people in education and leisure are underestimated; ridiculed and quite frankly abused. See interns.
If I ever were to write a book about public relations, cultural communication or „whatever it is I am doing“ I would like to go back to the Joy of.. type of title. Partly also as an homage to the great show in VW last year.

But the truth is, there is NO joy in the art talk, the openings talk. And one of the main reasons is, that it is exhausting to communicate in a language, where nothing means what it says; following a set of unwritten, ever shifting rules you can only stay unsure about. We already had a few examples in the past- I have been busy etc

Sporadically, I will try and write some if these “rules “down, as I have deciphered them for me. True to its subject this series is only to an extent what it says it is. And, as with everything else in bpigs: use at your own risk! 

LESSON 1 – Negation

In the uncertainty of our ever shifting art times; where anybody could be somebody any minute (and nobody the next),  nobody risks disappointing a conversation partner who might eventually outrank him in the Ash Kissing pyramid or the Suck up-Kick Down Scala, politeness is religion and honesty the anti- christ; negation does not sound like one. It sounds like an affirmation. A few examples.

FOR PROJECTS- COLLABORATIONS

-Let me think about it (and get back to you) ---
Elementary: “Just thought about it, no thanks“

-Let me talk to my ... wife, co workers, mother, God (and get back to you) --- 
“ No way. I am not going to talk to anybody about it, in fact this is also the last time I want to talk about it with you too. „
**EXCEPTION- When a precise time limit is set: ...and get back to you by Tuesday/ beginning of the month

-Write me an email!  ---
  I have been actually using this lately as : “Fuck you!“

FOR EVENTS - ATTENDING

-I will try and make it!  --- “I will not try, I will not make it, this is me telling you I am not coming right now"
-I will see you there --- “I am going somewhere else first and most likely staying there“
-I sooo want to see you!  ---- “...but it will not happen tonight“

Please feel free to complete these lists with your own examples in the comments below.