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Apple Executive Bozoma Saint John Auctioning 'Power Lunch' to Raise Estimated $10,000 for Charity
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While she was lively, I thought she went a bit over the top. I cringed at "get my strut on"; words I never hope to hear again in an apple presentation.
Give it 5 years. I cringed when I first heard "bling", "booty", and all those other urban words. Now that we have adopted them and I hear Becky and Nancy yell "Bling Bling" while saying "look at my booty!", it's sounds almost normal - even though 15 years ago those words were primarily used among urban youth of the African American persuasion.
"Get my strut on" is very new colloquial term primarily used among inner city youth to describe what we would phrase as "walking with confidence and an aura of invincibility".
In 5years i'll be saying "get my strut on" too - but for now, it's a bit cringeworthy.
demographics/economics are against your Apple world view. Just keep telling them to get off your lawn...
True and many of the forum members seem to agree. But you wouldn't know that from listening to the tech press---to them this was the Second Coming....
Um you're uh um so right um about uh Elon Musk. Umm I'll um so uh I uh I'll um uh never... um uh um watch uh watch him um speak again um yeah.Fair point... or Elon Musk for that matter.
I respectfully disagree
cringeworthy wins! It's getting almost 3x the "thumbs up"
This is what I find odd about her being the person for this Power lunch. Anyone who didn't watch the keynote probably has no idea who she is, and her part was horribly cringy, and I'm black.
This seems like it's more targeted for rich feminists than anything.
Oh my goodness this part of the keynote was so awkward...
*She* probably is very talented, though from the performance, not as talented at giving presentations as some. But, the problem with the recent 'diversity push' in the tech sector, is that it actually takes away from her accomplishments. Instead of focusing on her talents, the focus was on her sex and skin color. All the tech press was aflutter about how there was a black woman on stage at an Apple show, not a highly talented individual. And, the praise she did receive (aside from her being a black woman) was pretty much what made it awkward. (i.e.: trying to get a room of developers rapping.)
But, lets flip this around to demonstrate how demeaning it is. I'm a 'white' (there's no ethnicity among people with light colored skin?), middle-aged male. Let's say that in Georgia, there is a somewhat famous gospel choir that is composed of mostly black females and a few black males. A few months earlier, that choir took some flack for being far too black and female dominated.
I love gospel music, so I study really hard, learning all about it, and practice like crazy, get vocal coaching, etc. until I become pretty good at it (maybe not as good as some in the choir, but I can hold my own).
One day, the choir gets invited to a really big event to perform. After the event, the press is all buzzing about how nice it was to see a white guy up among all the black folks. Maybe a few mention a little solo I attempted, that actually didn't go over well, but the big news was... a white guy in the choir.
Frankly, I'd be furious. That's insanely racist/sexist, even if the attention was intended as positive instead of negative. I worked really hard to get there, and what am I valued for... my sex and skin color? How demeaning.
(Of course, that wouldn't happen because it doesn't fit the white and privilege guilt complex among liberals... all these 'isms only run in one direction. In fact, if one looks into how the sociology of this works, one could argue the objective of the elites is actually to keep these minorities in their place... which would, unfortunately, fit with the historical lineage well.)
And, the sad part of it is that those of us who recognize this, love our brothers and sisters from every ethnicity, are the ones being labeled as bigots by the true bigots as part of a power-grab.
But, that was just the content being used to demo the apps... not the actual apps and app features (in place of real technological advances). If people want emojis, fine, give them emojis. But, also keep advancing what put you in the position of success in the first place... which for Apple was UX.
That's fair point... we're up against the 'new' Apple here, which seems to have little in common with the old Apple except for some of us legacy stragglers still clinging to the platform.
Elon is a smart guy** who has accomplished a lot, and I'd not pick on him for that. But, he should be self-aware enough to realize that he doesn't pull off the Steve Jobs Show really well. He'd be fine if the changed the format a bit. I'm impressed with what he's produced; he doesn't have to do a goofy show that just makes him look lame in the process.
** That is, when he isn't pontificating about things like AI or astrobiology, making himself look like a fool. I recently caught him in a Twitter exchange trying to argue with Sean Carroll over astrobiology, and seemingly not able to understand (or willing to accept) the facts Sean was presenting. And, he's also one of the 'futurists' who don't seem to get the problem with AI isn't a quantitative one, but a qualitative one. Anyway, apparently he's much smarter than most of us.
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Even if she donated only 30 minutes of her time it's probably much more than the most here would do. Who are you to judge others for "not giving more"?
My point of view is that charity get's around $10k, why does it matter who and how much effort had to invest?
Worry about what Apple is doing your money and livelihood that is on the line! Worry not about the keynote she gave. The real issue are not her presentation but what is going on in the world and your nation.
She wasn't up there presenting because she is black or female or a black female, but because she "serves as the Head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes" and was pitching the product she heads up. And she wasn't there to discuss megapixels or microprocessors or health apps, she was there to discuss music and iTunes, so what was she supposed to do, stand there awkwardly operating the iPhone while speaking in a monotone with a meek and modest demeanor like some mousy little dev from a cubicle?
I read her Twitter snippet that was linked to this thread to prove the assertion she's self-centered. As someone who has grown up among the African-American community of the Maryland-DC Metro area, I feel confident in saying she would not come across self-centered in my local community based on what I saw in those comments, but as self-affirming, and there is a difference. But you may need to be familiar with the inside of such a community and not the "outside looking in" to see that. I wish that weren't the case but apparently it might be.
I believe she was being herself up on stage but if anything came across as nervous or contrived it was because, as she stood up there, she became keenly aware she was going to have to be her authentic self to an audience that likely was not going to get it at all. It must have felt like trying to do stand up comedy at the Vulcan Science Academy, (pardon my Star Trek nerd reference).
I wish I could afford to bid on lunch with her. It would be wonderful to spend a lunch asking her about what it's like working in such high powered positions at so many big named companies and what it took to get there. I'd love to bring my 11 year old daughter along, too, as she responded well to Boz's style and energy during the keynote and has definite ideas and impressions of Apple Music she would want to discuss.
I'm sorry Boz didn't make a favorable impression on so many. But to some of us, she did and was a breath of fresh air at an increasingly stale type of event.
I read her Twitter snippet that was linked to this thread to prove the assertion she's self-centered. As someone who has grown up among the African-American community of the Maryland-DC Metro area, I feel confident in saying she would not come across self-centered in my local community based on what I saw in those comments, but as self-affirming, and there is a difference. But you may need to be familiar with the inside of such a community and not the "outside looking in" to see that. I wish that weren't the case but apparently it might be.
I believe she was being herself up on stage but if anything came across as nervous or contrived it was because, as she stood up there, she became keenly aware she was going to have to be her authentic self to an audience that likely was not going to get it at all. It must have felt like trying to do stand up comedy at the Vulcan Science Academy, (pardon my Star Trek nerd reference).
I wish I could afford to bid on lunch with her. It would be wonderful to spend a lunch asking her about what it's like working in such high powered positions at so many big named companies and what it took to get there. I'd love to bring my 11 year old daughter along, too, as she responded well to Boz's style and energy during the keynote and has definite ideas and impressions of Apple Music she would want to discuss.
I'm sorry Boz didn't make a favorable impression on so many. But to some of us, she did and was a breath of fresh air at an increasingly stale type of event.
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Well written. Some silly comments here.
I've jsut re watched the reynote before she comes on, during and after.
If there is any complaining to be had its about how dull and scripted eddy cue is before and after her, when she come on, she actually brings some life into a very dull presentation, and knows what she is talking about instead of the scripted BS from cue.....
I suggest people actually rewatch the keynote.
Though she is guilty of knowing where the apple gym is...as apposed to some of the other execs...
Given a choice who to have lunch with , out of the execs, her without a second thought.
There's generally two types of people here in this thread: the racial apologists and those who have a difficult time comprehending that someone like her could be in the position she is. Playing the devils advocate I can see both sides. This is based solely on how Tim Cook has run Apple as CEO. I think it lends credence to the greater diversity pitch we keep hearing about, whether it's done by hook or by crook. Having said that, she simply doesn't merit being auctioned off for charity at this point. My intuition is telling me that she is being used as a political and social pawn. This above all else I find troubling.
Or she is simply capitalizing on the momentum and buzz of her appearance at WWDC to participate in a cause she appreciates.
She hasn't GIVEN anything, yet is getting treated like she has. Apple is probably paying her at the time so there is ZERO being given by her.
I bet there are PLENTY of people here that do more for others than just going on a paid lunch with their gold Apple Watch and their rich high bidder. This display is more offensive because it just shows how much the core is rotting at Apple.
It's free. Just turn off the stream...
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Judging from your recent posts I'd say you probably are right not to bid. Your money might be better spent on anger management therapy.
Thanks for your valuable contribution to this conversation. It has been very deep and insightful. It is always nice to meet fan!
Thanks again!
Even though sarcastic, that was the most civil statement I've read from you. Way to go! Keep going to those sessions.
3 bids! $2000 and you have to pay for the lunch. Wonder if dance lessons are part of the lunch?
YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR HER MEAL?!?!?!??!?!?!
Are you really winning if you have to pay for the food? You paid for the time, the food, the transportation.....they could at least throw in a burger at Five Guys for $10,000.
