Polish Hipsters and Citta the Elephant

Marek Matysek, Poland

A hipster is ahead of their time, anticipating what is yet unknown and remote but is soon to become popular, cool and trendy.

 A hipster is not an old-school and predictable trendsetter but a trend creator. They do not follow. It is the others who follow hipsters.

It is cool to be a hipster, an early adopter of what is just about to be in. It is cool to be always ahead, whether it be just accidentally or intentionally; to be an authority on all the not-quite-simple, almost metaphysical issues. A hipster dictates how to be to be. Not what to wear, what to listen to, what to watch, what to drink but, first and foremost, how to be.

On the other hand, hard is the life of a hipster, especially in a country which in two weeks' time will co-host the biggest sports event in the Polish history, Euro 2012. All of a sudden your uniqueness and trend creating gift will be overwhelmed by ubiquitous national white and red flags, and your original Vespa, which you ride to picnics in the middle of town, will stop turning necks.

What do hipsters really do? They simply are. Appear here and there. Come in and out. They are like a file which can be copied but not interfered with.

A hipster is like Citta the Elephant from the Krakow zoo who has successfully picked the winner of the Champions League Final between Bayern and Chelsea, and will consequently indicate winners long ahead of each football game. The predictions will be made in line with the well-known procedure: Citta will be given three different fruits to choose from - two with the flags of competing teams and one signifying a draw. Enjoy, Citta! We hope that Poland will gain worldwide fame not only thanks to the excellent organization and unique atmosphere of the European Championships but also thanks to you!

Coming back to hipsters other than Citta the Elephant from the Krakow zoo. How do they do it? Nobody knows. What we do know is the price they pay. Their life is short... Not literally though. They live the short life of a hipster. Their gift, their skill in being an ultimate trend creator without trend-creating swankiness is very short-lived. Like someone who having completed their first work of art is labeled an artist and automatically loses all zest for creating.

Finally, a short description of a Polish hipster:

Moving about town: in a run-down Saab 900 or an equally old Volvo. Urban bikes: original urban bike - Dutch roadsters have become too popular and are thus disdained by hipsters who ride classic Wigry bikes with small wheels or folding bikes from the 1970's.

 

Eating & drinking: for a hipster being caught with a bottle of commercially produced beer is social death. A hipster only drinks regional beverages, such as Ciechan beer or home-made lemonade, and makes his own slow food.

Fashion: the latest hit are slippers, shoes which resemble house slippers. Generally, it is to give a nonchalant and laid-back look. No labels, no chain stores!

Hard is the life of a hipster. :)

Insights on Polish hipsters by Dawid Kornaga - young Polish writer http://www.kornaga.blogspot.co.uk/

Get it up for Gwen for Men

When I first heard about Gwen for Men, I assumed it was the name of an ‘adult’ doll found at the back of one of the JC cupboards or maybe even a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Fortunately, given my boss had emailed me about it, the reality turned out to be somewhat different. Something far more edifying than a way for the older male members of JC to recover their previous…er…vigour.

As it turns out, it is actually scheme designed to help us men manage our work-life balance. Hardly a new idea you might say – particularly as trying to forge a successful career whilst enjoying a rewarding personal life is something with which we all battle every day.

So why mention it then?

Well, for me, a scheme like Gwen for Men is what modern business culture should be all about. A way of helping people find a way of working that suits the rest of their life – but without jeopardising any of the great stuff that we do for our clients or customers or anyone else.

It’s also extremely relevant to me personally.

Next month, I begin a period of Additional Paternity Leave, taking three months off to spend time looking after my new(ish)born son while my wife begins her own gradual journey back into working life. Apparently I’m the first JC-er ever to do it too – so I’m something of a test case! And, although I will miss day to day office life, in many ways, I can’t wait to enjoy a prolonged period of bonding with Dylan and being a full-time Dad.

It’s all thanks to a new government initiative to allow parents to split maternity leave to spend more time with their children – which is great in theory. But where Gwen for Men comes in is in helping make it work in practice.

According to a colleague involved in the programme, it’s all about “creating an environment where we embrace the complexity of life and where you can have the flexibility to find your balance, experience your moments and be transparent about your priorities.”

Which is a slightly long (not to mention American) way of saying it involves developing a way of working that takes your whole life into account, whatever that entails.

Since becoming a parent, I have enjoyed nothing but support in doing that and, thanks to the mind-set embodied by Gwen for Men, I have been able to have open, honest and fair discussions with the JC-powers-that-be about what working life looks like for me – now and when I come back from paternity leave.

Sure, I’ve had to work out for myself how to adjust to such a major change in my home life but being given the space and guidance to do so has been invaluable. And it’s not just for boring parents like me either. This is something that could and should work for everyone, whatever the demands on your time outside of work. Honestly.

So next time you miss dinner with your mum or that evening art class because you’re stuck in the office, remember Gwen for Men.

Well actually, remember Men for Gwen. Apparently I got the name wrong.

But that’s nowhere near as amusing.

Reposted from JCPRsays