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One of the things I love about Asia – not just China – is their brutal approach to truth.
OK, so the name of this store is obviously a ‘lost-in-translation’ thing, but generally speaking, if you go into a place and they don’t think they have anything for you, rather than waste time, they’ll come straight out and say:
“We have nothing in here for you”.
At first it can be quite confronting.
It sounds rude.
Aggressive.
Unkind.
But after a while, you realise that their comments are not designed to hurt you, but to save you – and them – time.
No sycophantic niceness.
No attempt to sell you something that looks – quite frankly – ridiculous and pointless.
Just an obsession with telling it how it is so both parties can move on with their life.
Now if only brands could be so clear cut about what they do/offer, rather than showering society with a multitude of bland, empty platitudes.
People don’t want them or believe them.
So either give us stuff we are genuinely interested in [rather than what you want us to be interested in] or just walk away till another day, because regardless what you think, no one is falling for what you’re selling.
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I’d shop here just for shits and giggles and for the brutal honesty of the store name lol
Comment by bittergirlhabsfan July 31, 2014 @ 6:13 amUnfortunately for you, truth in advertising is annoyingly subjective.
Just the other day I heard a woman describe her occupation as “fat model” – she was 5′ 3″ and a size 8 so could not be a catwlak model nor an oversize model, so the terminology fat model has apparently emerged.
Leaving aside the body dysmorphia and misogyny implicit in all of this, here was a woman who called herself fat but would not be your store’s target market. And reagrdless of the intent, there’s definitely going to be a lot of hurt.
Comment by john July 31, 2014 @ 6:22 amHe means “Rob’s truth in advertising.”
Comment by DH July 31, 2014 @ 6:25 amI’m not sure what I mean, but yes I’m having a go at the guy who hangs around outside weird shops.
Comment by john July 31, 2014 @ 6:27 amPot. Kettle. Black.
Comment by DH July 31, 2014 @ 6:28 amMaybe when she said she was a fat model, she advertises lard?
Comment by DH July 31, 2014 @ 6:28 amIsn’t all truth based on perspective?
Comment by Pete July 31, 2014 @ 6:32 amI should have written, isn’t all perceived truth based on perspective?
Comment by Pete July 31, 2014 @ 6:32 amwhat do you mean annoying for campbell? subjectivity lets him shoot his shit around like a machine gun and explain it away by saying its all a fucking matter of perspective. get with the program doddsy.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:40 amGood point. What is annoying is that he tweeted this photo months ago and that means there’s there’s no end to this stuff in the forseeable future.
Comment by john July 31, 2014 @ 7:48 amyou mean you follow his shit? did a judge fucking make that part of your sentence because there is no other fucking reason for doing it.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:53 amYou’re giving this post far too much credit. Thank you, it means a lot to me.
Comment by Rob July 31, 2014 @ 8:23 amNext time you to clothes shopping, you should take a photo of where you buy stuff from. I’d love to see what “unfashionable military shirt and bad pun tshirts” actually looks like.
Comment by DH July 31, 2014 @ 6:27 amSee photo above.
Comment by john July 31, 2014 @ 6:29 amits called the army surplus store and he is their only fucking customer.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:41 amWell, judging by my wardrobe, I was their customer once and I just bought a load of the same shirt.
Comment by Rob July 31, 2014 @ 8:24 amWhen I first moved to Asia I needed time to understand what I was being told wasn’t rudeness but honesty. Growing up in a society that sugar coated everything to try and get the sale, it was initially hard to get used to this change of approach.
Your last paragraph is great, but I would argue there are many people who are buying what companies are saying. Whether that is down to stupidity or apathy towards the rubbish being thrown at them is open to conversation.
Comment by Pete July 31, 2014 @ 6:37 amhave you fucking considered they were being rude to you because they were being honest they didnt like you?
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:44 amIs that why there’s a shit moped outside the store, because only fat birds would be seen dead on the back of one.
Comment by Billy Whizz July 31, 2014 @ 6:44 amOr it’s the transport choice for men who are desperate.
[Sorry for the sexism, it was just a [bad] joke. I know that is no excuse so be rest assured, it will come back and haunt me, probably when my wife sees it and she smashes me in my face when I get home]
Comment by Rob July 31, 2014 @ 8:26 ami hope jill smashes you in the fucking throat.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 9:01 amThe chick is wearing a dress that looks like the skirt in the fat bird “window”. If that’s what passes for fat in China, I could deal with obese.
Comment by Billy Whizz July 31, 2014 @ 6:46 amI thought your only criteria was “breathing”?
Comment by DH July 31, 2014 @ 6:51 amthats optional.
by the way billy, the sexist bastards division of the kkk called, they said your membership has been approved.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:44 amJudging by how you describe shop owners in a Asia, you and China were made for each other.
Comment by Bazza July 31, 2014 @ 6:56 ambet campbell could teach them a thing or 2 about rudeness. thats a compliment by the way campbell so dont get your fucking knickers in a twist.
Comment by andy@cynic July 31, 2014 @ 7:45 amI learnt from the best which means you’ll say this is another thing I now owe you. Boom Tish.
Comment by Rob July 31, 2014 @ 3:42 pmRespectfully, is there any fashion store for you Robert?
Comment by Northern July 31, 2014 @ 4:14 pmThere’s loads …
Bad T-Shirts R Us.
The Army & Navy Store.
Birkenstocks.
Annnnnnnnd, need I remind you that Birkenstocks are currently the fashion industries ‘big thing’?
The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/pu7fohk
The Daily Telegraph: http://tinyurl.com/ogr24t4
BusinessWeek: http://tinyurl.com/nw752u7
Even Vogue!!! http://tinyurl.com/psl38lu
Well, even if I don’t … you’ll find I have on Monday.
[Sorry]
Comment by Rob July 31, 2014 @ 5:45 pmSpecsavers.
Comment by john July 31, 2014 @ 9:11 pmHarsh but fair
Comment by Northern July 31, 2014 @ 11:09 pm