Dear Colleagues,
The response to my short note on architect
Barbie has astonished me. I have not had
this much off-list mail on an issue in a long
time.
Since the questions all cluster around a few
issues, let me say
1) The issue has no deep significance to me.
2) I really do not care about Barbie's career
choices.
3) To the degree that Barbie may be a role
model, I suppose the matter deserves some
thought. In my case it was something of a
holiday season jest.
4) I did *not* mean that architects are not
designers. I should possibly have explained the
delicate nuances of the philosophical proposition
that "architect Barbie is not exactly a designer,
[but] she's closer to our field than the alternate
choices."
Alas, I did not, and I cannot now recall why
I phrased this as I did.
5) The most amusing issue for me was the
assertion of an architecture student that
Barbie was in last place when polling at
93%.
This has changed.
As it stands today, the figures have shifted
and 55% of the voters want Barbie to become
a librarian, as against 28% for architect, and
16% for policewoman.
6) Barbie's front page mentions OTHER
career options. These are,
Figure skater
Ballerina
Doctor
Art teacher
Artist
7) There are no hidden depths here, only a few
hidden shallows.
I enjoyed some of the posted responses. There
are issues here worth considering. For me, it
was a moment of light reflection.
If I had my druthers, I would add two categories:
One would be United States Senate majority
leader Barbie. She would certainly be an improvement
on Trent Lott.
The other would be Archbishop of York Barbie.
On deep and mature reflection, I have come to think
that "Archbishop Barbie" would be a lot more
fun than "Architect Barbie.
Why York? Because I am thinking these days of
Wilfrid, Archbishop of York and apostle to the
Frisians. I hope this will not lead to an avalanche
of notes from our Dutch colleagues.
Now, permit me to conclude this note by paraphrasing
the immortal words of the late Waylon Jennings and
the very much alive Willie Nelson:
"Mamas, don't let you Barbies grow up to be cowboys."
Warm wishes for the season,
Ken
--
Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Leadership and Organization
Norwegian School of Management
Visiting Professor
Advanced Research Institute
School of Art and Design
Staffordshire University
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