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Subject: 
Re: Are you going to try out?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego, lugnet.general
Date: 
Wed, 8 Oct 2003 22:30:38 GMT
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In lugnet.lego, John Gerlach wrote:
In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
So what do you think? Are you going to try out for the spot in the master
builder search (http://www.legomasterbuilder.com)?

If you are, let me know!

What do you think about the idea overall?

I like the idea.  I like the idea for two reasons:

1) because I like the fact that LEGO is reaching out to the general public and
that almost anyone(1) has a shot at this.  It's more or less a level playing
field.

2) because it opens up at least a small portion of the company's inner workings
to the fans.  No trade secrets revealed, no profit and loss statements, but just
a tiny bit of the inner sanctum that is the Master Builder we all long to be.

However(2), from a business perspective I see it as more of a gimic than a
strong investment of time and dollars.

What would be a better use of such time and dollars?

How about an open call for the next 'My Own Creation' model?

It might be a similar structure (preliminary rounds, finalists, etc.) only
without the need for the company itself to go on the road.  But primarily it
would have a very similar intended outcome; to draw out the very best from a
wide range of possibilities.

I personally feel that would be an even more level field of play than the
builder search.  For some (maybe many?) of us it just isn't realistic to uproot
and head off to California.  But some (probably many?) of us would still love to
have a chance to be involved with our favorite company in some capacity beyond
simple consumer.  A search for a great model (or models) would be a way to let
even more people have a chance at that interaction.

I don't personally believe that the greatest models are just waiting on
Brickshelf to be 'discovered'.  I think a contest like that would, in fact,
bring out a higher level of design than is seen even now in some of the
astounding models we all love to oogle on the web.(3)

Can you promise a living wage to the person that wins it?  Not that I think I
could ever win it - I build well, but I don't build *quickly*.

Probably 99% of the people here on LUGNET think it would be a dream job, but
unfortunately reality (mortgages, car payments, etc...) intrude into our Lego
hobby sometimes...

I guess I'm in the 1% then.  I personally don't see this as a dream job.  I see
it as a 'job'.  For me LEGO is a thing I can do _after_ work.  I have no one to
answer to, nothing special to build, no rules to follow etc. etc.  That to me is
a dream 'hobby' that I wouldn't want to corrupt by making it a 9-5 must-do
activity.

Years ago, before my current career, I worked at a job that most people would
describe as "cool".  Before I worked in it, I thought it was cool too.  Then it
became a *job*, with deadlines, stress, low pay, little satisfation and so on.
It wasn't until a couple years after I left the job that I began to enjoy the
"cool" factor of the hobby once again.

But, this may be the minority opinion.  I'm sure lots of people do see this as a
dream job and wouldn't let it affect their after-hours enjoyment of LEGO.  And
to the person who gets the job, I do hope you continue to play with bricks on
weekends purely for your own enjoyment!  Good luck, whoever you are. :)

All the best,
Allan B.

(1) Anyone who can realistically relocate for such a job.

(2) You knew there'd be a 'however', didn't you?  :)

(3) This is strictly a personal opinion, not based on any facts or figures.



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Are you going to try out?
 
(...) Can you promise a living wage to the person that wins it? Not that I think I could ever win it - I build well, but I don't build *quickly*. Probably 99% of the people here on LUGNET think it would be a dream job, but unfortunately reality (...) (21 years ago, 8-Oct-03, to lugnet.lego, lugnet.general)

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