Spammed by the Synergy Project
- Thread starter editor
- Start date
Loki said:
But if those websites are anything to go by, they aren't exactly pushing that 'local talent and marketing' envelope very far are they? Unless they're going to teach kids how to make 3rd rate Goa-psybollocks designs that would have looked tired in 1969 that is...
Or perhaps the marketing masterclass: how to spam and win friends the Synergy way!
More seriously, i know a few people loosely involved in Synergy. They're well meaning enough and all speak highly of the night's high production values and atmosphere. Nice people I know, but I fear I might take the piss too much if I actually went. All that over-earnest gumph about chakric energy arse-fields would tip me over the edge, colourful fluoro-glow background designs notwithstanding...
tarannau said:
I doubt the Brixton Synergy centre would be about psytrance or any of that stuff and if it was it would be an unbelievably shallow project. I'd imagine it would be a genuine resource for the arts in Brixton.
And as for all the chakra bullshit, I don't understand why they do it, but neither me nor my mates were asked to meditate on our chakras or whatever it is you're meant to do with them on the night.
sihhi
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered
The artwork on that link above is absolute BS and so are the words.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti spirituality, but often the people who tell you how spiritual they are far from it. The least connected, self-aware, insightful, etc. The words on the above site about a part of the brain are just nonsense.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti spirituality, but often the people who tell you how spiritual they are far from it. The least connected, self-aware, insightful, etc. The words on the above site about a part of the brain are just nonsense.
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
hendo said:
iirc correctly (according to a feature in an old 'victor' or 'warlord' annual which also helpfully showed how to make jungle sandals out of old car tyres) the last one came out of the jungle in 1972 or 3, his two comrades having come out individually over the previous 5 years.
oh, hippie nonsense definitely.
One thing I've heard about Synergy is they're good business people. Quite expert, in fact, at pressing the right buttons and extracting public funds from bureaucrats.
Now this may be a foul libel (so sue me). I've not seen a balance sheet (are they a limited company?) but suspect the hippy stuff is a clever front.
But then I've met numerous hippies who, behind the little round glasses, are terrifically shrewd business people.
Hey man. Let's make some, like, cash.
p.s. I'm not suggesting this is necessarily a bad thing. You'd need to see a set of Synergy accounts to see where the money is coming from, going to, and how much.
Now this may be a foul libel (so sue me). I've not seen a balance sheet (are they a limited company?) but suspect the hippy stuff is a clever front.
But then I've met numerous hippies who, behind the little round glasses, are terrifically shrewd business people.
Hey man. Let's make some, like, cash.
p.s. I'm not suggesting this is necessarily a bad thing. You'd need to see a set of Synergy accounts to see where the money is coming from, going to, and how much.
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
If synergy do pull off all they're setting themselves out to do (arts, education etc) - great. All to the good of Brixton etc. But really, now's the time to show themselves as something more than just a bunch of party businessmen
Apparently I'm now cool enough to even get their spam. Surprised RoR are allegedly getting involved with this lot - very unlike the image I get from them otherwise.
Think I'd rather spent the night in playing games than go to some trumped up psy-bull. Then again, I'd stay in playing games rather than go to some psy-stuff anyway.
Think I'd rather spent the night in playing games than go to some trumped up psy-bull. Then again, I'd stay in playing games rather than go to some psy-stuff anyway.
steve indigenou
New Member
In response...
Here we are again hey ?
Apologies to those who feel they have been we are 'spammed'- we are aware that some may not want to receive the info, but think that maybe some might, so take the risk of annoying some (who are perhaps far too easily annoyed) for the sake of trying to please others.
As for all the so-predictable accusations and criticisms from Mike, Hatboy and others, we've been here before haven't we ?
I have some sympathies with the concern about cod-spirituality and over-doing things on the chakra front, but I am on the drier end of the spectrum within the wider group and others within like it. Who am I to impose my values on them ?
We've long since learned not to take all the bitterness from certain sections of the U75 community too much to heart and are grateful for the kind words said by others. Perhaps those who are so critical should make the effort to come along and see for themselves rather than slag off something of which they, in reality, know little.
Both Synergy Communities (the parent company of the Synergy Project) and The Brixton Synergy Centre are properly constituted non-profit organisations (unlike previous other 'underground' community arts projects we could mention !) After each party we present our accounts to the wider community who have put the party on for approval.
We do not donate money to the particpating NGOs. Many of us having been working unpaid in the holistic education sector for years and are trying to make a living from it. We are currently in debt, as working in what is a very competitive marketplace has ensured we have not always covered our costs. All surpluses in the future will either go towards paying the artists and crew who put on the parties a decent wage for their work or in developing infrastructure to support emerging talent and organisations in the creative industries.
Just the other day, for example, I had a meeting with the Somali community in Streatham, who need help bringing together artists from within the Somali refugee community to do educational workshops in schools to tackle racism and discrimination.
You doing any of this kind of community work Mike, Hatboy ? Much more fun and so much easier to continue slagging us off, ain't it ?
Once again, apologies to all those spammed...
It's a fairly easy task to un-subscribe...
Synergy Steve
Here we are again hey ?
Apologies to those who feel they have been we are 'spammed'- we are aware that some may not want to receive the info, but think that maybe some might, so take the risk of annoying some (who are perhaps far too easily annoyed) for the sake of trying to please others.
As for all the so-predictable accusations and criticisms from Mike, Hatboy and others, we've been here before haven't we ?
I have some sympathies with the concern about cod-spirituality and over-doing things on the chakra front, but I am on the drier end of the spectrum within the wider group and others within like it. Who am I to impose my values on them ?
We've long since learned not to take all the bitterness from certain sections of the U75 community too much to heart and are grateful for the kind words said by others. Perhaps those who are so critical should make the effort to come along and see for themselves rather than slag off something of which they, in reality, know little.
Both Synergy Communities (the parent company of the Synergy Project) and The Brixton Synergy Centre are properly constituted non-profit organisations (unlike previous other 'underground' community arts projects we could mention !) After each party we present our accounts to the wider community who have put the party on for approval.
We do not donate money to the particpating NGOs. Many of us having been working unpaid in the holistic education sector for years and are trying to make a living from it. We are currently in debt, as working in what is a very competitive marketplace has ensured we have not always covered our costs. All surpluses in the future will either go towards paying the artists and crew who put on the parties a decent wage for their work or in developing infrastructure to support emerging talent and organisations in the creative industries.
Just the other day, for example, I had a meeting with the Somali community in Streatham, who need help bringing together artists from within the Somali refugee community to do educational workshops in schools to tackle racism and discrimination.
You doing any of this kind of community work Mike, Hatboy ? Much more fun and so much easier to continue slagging us off, ain't it ?
Once again, apologies to all those spammed...
It's a fairly easy task to un-subscribe...
Synergy Steve
Fuck you Steve. "predictable comments from hatboy and others" Where? All I've said on this thread is this:
Not even about you lot or your site. Unless you think the second bit could apply? If you are really doing good things for Brixton then good for you, but the "spiritual" stuff is too much. It really is alot of bollocks. Can't you see that?
I personally would like to come to your things before judging. And maybe get involved as you describe above. And if you remember the last threads on this. I let the personal abuse stay even tho the person involved is someone I know and quite like and it was repeated and repeated.
Don't label me as predictable or closed minded. You are wrong. And yeah tell your mates to tone down the wow-man hippy bollocks because it makes "Synergy" look like a joke.
hatboy said:
Not even about you lot or your site. Unless you think the second bit could apply? If you are really doing good things for Brixton then good for you, but the "spiritual" stuff is too much. It really is alot of bollocks. Can't you see that?
I personally would like to come to your things before judging. And maybe get involved as you describe above. And if you remember the last threads on this. I let the personal abuse stay even tho the person involved is someone I know and quite like and it was repeated and repeated.
Don't label me as predictable or closed minded. You are wrong. And yeah tell your mates to tone down the wow-man hippy bollocks because it makes "Synergy" look like a joke.
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
sometimes i'm glad i don't live in brixton 
...then i remember i live in bristol and we are not short of tie-dyed gurus of dollarology here either
steve, i really think you might care to work on your inter-personal skills. spamming people who really don't want your stuff, and then blaming them for not appreciating it, seems the height of ill manners.
but then i'm only an uncultured country bumpkin so what do i know.
...then i remember i live in bristol and we are not short of tie-dyed gurus of dollarology here either
steve, i really think you might care to work on your inter-personal skills. spamming people who really don't want your stuff, and then blaming them for not appreciating it, seems the height of ill manners.
but then i'm only an uncultured country bumpkin so what do i know.
steve indigenou said:
Sorry, but that counts as a less than fulsome apology. Even if the event has some worthy aims, there's no excuse for unsolicited spam mail. Would you feel ok if coke got hold of your email address from an unrelated source and contacted you with details of their latest products?
Sure it only takes a second to unsubscribe, but that's poor compensation and reasoning when you consider the sheer volume of mail that such activities can generate. It breaches the trust of the recipient, both in relation to Synergy and the organisation that they originally supplied the email address to. Who did you get these lists from by the way? And do they know what you used the addresses for?
For a commercial enterprise this would be unacceptable. I'd expect better from an organisation with ethical aims, particularly one that seeks to teach people in arts marketing.
Thing is, I quite like some of the people inolved in Synergy, who have some worthy aims. Dodgy trance and websites aside, it all seems well intentioned to me.
But badly thought out approaches like this do not encourage positive or professional perceptions of Synergy - just apologise and admit you made a mistake in this case. Sorry.
steve indigenou
New Member
It was only meant to be a qualifed apology...
The ethics of spam can be discussed in greater detail at another time. I get loads of unsolicited email from loads of other clubs, but don't take it personally and have better things to do than get so irate about it.
Hatboy - perhaps you can understand why we see U75, and key people behind it, as a never ending source of agro. Mike even has the gall to criticise us for having a go at his mate and then put the boot in big time. He just comes across as a fouled mouthed hypocrite, who perhaps tarnishes others with the same brush. When we have met, you have come across as a decent guy, but though it may not be your thing, what gives you the right to slag off other people's spiritual beliefs ? My personal position is that there is mileage in exploring new age / eastern spirituality, but some people don't weed out the dross. There's an on-going discussion about this within the group. I'm keener to push the politics - working with people like War on Want, Oxfam, the European Social Forum etc.
We're not going to publish our accounts on the web. They are open to people who contribute, not otherwise.
Anybody reading this thread who would like to come and see what all the fuss is about is welcome to call me on 07766 566691 to arrange a guest list pass.
Funny how it seems to work out that all of the people who post on this site who have actually bothered to come, speak highly of the project. It's only those who haven't, but rely on their perhaps prejudiced attitudes towards us, who slag us off.
Frankly, winning the approval of this latter bunch is not so high on my personal list of priorities. For them, it's so much easier to criticise than to be constructive.
We do loads for the community - workshops in schools, support to emerging groups - for virtually no money, and all Mike Slocombe and others can do is slag us off. I think this reflects more on them than it does on us, so if Mike thinks his rantings will make any difference he's sorely mistaken.
As I have said before, we don't insist on others following our approach, and will happily compare notes in a few years time to see how a rejectionsist, anti-establishment philosophy compares with one of constructive engagement. It depends on what you want to achieve, perhaps, but it you want to achieve something that is sustainable and has an impact outside of your own living room, then so much childish ranting against the evil-dooers in authority starts to apear naieve and self-indulgent.
Steve
The ethics of spam can be discussed in greater detail at another time. I get loads of unsolicited email from loads of other clubs, but don't take it personally and have better things to do than get so irate about it.
Hatboy - perhaps you can understand why we see U75, and key people behind it, as a never ending source of agro. Mike even has the gall to criticise us for having a go at his mate and then put the boot in big time. He just comes across as a fouled mouthed hypocrite, who perhaps tarnishes others with the same brush. When we have met, you have come across as a decent guy, but though it may not be your thing, what gives you the right to slag off other people's spiritual beliefs ? My personal position is that there is mileage in exploring new age / eastern spirituality, but some people don't weed out the dross. There's an on-going discussion about this within the group. I'm keener to push the politics - working with people like War on Want, Oxfam, the European Social Forum etc.
We're not going to publish our accounts on the web. They are open to people who contribute, not otherwise.
Anybody reading this thread who would like to come and see what all the fuss is about is welcome to call me on 07766 566691 to arrange a guest list pass.
Funny how it seems to work out that all of the people who post on this site who have actually bothered to come, speak highly of the project. It's only those who haven't, but rely on their perhaps prejudiced attitudes towards us, who slag us off.
Frankly, winning the approval of this latter bunch is not so high on my personal list of priorities. For them, it's so much easier to criticise than to be constructive.
We do loads for the community - workshops in schools, support to emerging groups - for virtually no money, and all Mike Slocombe and others can do is slag us off. I think this reflects more on them than it does on us, so if Mike thinks his rantings will make any difference he's sorely mistaken.
As I have said before, we don't insist on others following our approach, and will happily compare notes in a few years time to see how a rejectionsist, anti-establishment philosophy compares with one of constructive engagement. It depends on what you want to achieve, perhaps, but it you want to achieve something that is sustainable and has an impact outside of your own living room, then so much childish ranting against the evil-dooers in authority starts to apear naieve and self-indulgent.
Steve
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
Blagsta said:
that is a great title
"What gives you the right to slag off others spiritual beliefs"
This sort of thing does:
http://www.letcombe.fsnet.co.uk/SW-healing.htm
I don't do it when I meet genuinely spiritual people. I'll call you and come to your thing sometime. I'm not on anybody's side.
You do seem to dress up your personal disputes as if you are being really reasonable tho. If you don't get on with Mike or you-know-who I think you should deal with it in person, all three of you and then leave it.
This sort of thing does:
http://www.letcombe.fsnet.co.uk/SW-healing.htm
I don't do it when I meet genuinely spiritual people. I'll call you and come to your thing sometime. I'm not on anybody's side.
You do seem to dress up your personal disputes as if you are being really reasonable tho. If you don't get on with Mike or you-know-who I think you should deal with it in person, all three of you and then leave it.
Steve - you're getting too defensive about this one.
The problem is, I'd quite like to give Synergy more support - as I've said I know a few involved tonight and they're good people. I'd genuinely like to know some more of Synergy's aims and achievements. But if I go to Synergy's website all I get is a tired psy-design, party details and pictures, some airy-fairy text and generalisations. There's not much I can appreciate and throw my support behind. it's a wasted opportunity.
And the spam's still wrong whatever way you look at it. Done well and you could have gained some more support - done like this and you've just put people's backs up.
Still, good luck tomorrow at SE1
The problem is, I'd quite like to give Synergy more support - as I've said I know a few involved tonight and they're good people. I'd genuinely like to know some more of Synergy's aims and achievements. But if I go to Synergy's website all I get is a tired psy-design, party details and pictures, some airy-fairy text and generalisations. There's not much I can appreciate and throw my support behind. it's a wasted opportunity.
And the spam's still wrong whatever way you look at it. Done well and you could have gained some more support - done like this and you've just put people's backs up.
Still, good luck tomorrow at SE1
steve - i'm not going to argue once more about the finer points of why i Synergy in general and you in particular are full of shit.
but since you claim some kind of ethical basis, some moral framework (even if that frame is painted in fucking UV paint), your spamming is completely fucking unacceptable.
someone selling me viagra, spam is to be expected.
you spamming people from U75 (i'm not sure of how you farmed our emails, i'd be curious) is a fucking cheek, especially since you now what most of us think of your odious little chakra-fuelled circle-jerk.
since you're not 'just a club', but an all-singing, all-dancing world changing Aquarian revolution in tie-dye, the 'unsolicited club spam' argument doesn't work.
i've unsubscribed, but i shouldn't have needed to. if you EVER spam me again i'll do something about it.
i'm not sure how you managed to lure mel and chris into getting involved with your shallow, pointless shite, but my respect for their organisation doesn't rub off onto synergy.
it's the worst kind of Yippy shite, and you're a pompous self-regarding twat.
but since you claim some kind of ethical basis, some moral framework (even if that frame is painted in fucking UV paint), your spamming is completely fucking unacceptable.
someone selling me viagra, spam is to be expected.
you spamming people from U75 (i'm not sure of how you farmed our emails, i'd be curious) is a fucking cheek, especially since you now what most of us think of your odious little chakra-fuelled circle-jerk.
since you're not 'just a club', but an all-singing, all-dancing world changing Aquarian revolution in tie-dye, the 'unsolicited club spam' argument doesn't work.
i've unsubscribed, but i shouldn't have needed to. if you EVER spam me again i'll do something about it.
i'm not sure how you managed to lure mel and chris into getting involved with your shallow, pointless shite, but my respect for their organisation doesn't rub off onto synergy.
it's the worst kind of Yippy shite, and you're a pompous self-regarding twat.
steve indigenou said:
do you search for weapons?
Epona
Radar 2006-2020, Sonic 2006-2022, Jakey 2007-2024
I have nothing against people who are genuinely spiritual - if I did I'd have to hate my entire family!
What I do think is cheesy is when it's used as marketing, which is what is going on here. OTT graphics and a hippy-trippy website. Statements like 'chakra altar' and that bloody pyramid thing - it's nothing more than spin used as an advertisement to appeal to the pseudo-hippy tie-dye teenage juggler market.
Real personal spirituality I have the greatest respect for even if I am not in the slightest bit spiritual myslef. This just comes across as fake.
What I do think is cheesy is when it's used as marketing, which is what is going on here. OTT graphics and a hippy-trippy website. Statements like 'chakra altar' and that bloody pyramid thing - it's nothing more than spin used as an advertisement to appeal to the pseudo-hippy tie-dye teenage juggler market.
Real personal spirituality I have the greatest respect for even if I am not in the slightest bit spiritual myslef. This just comes across as fake.
nick
Pleomorphic Adenomas R us
I am currently neither pro nor anti your organisation.
I have no interest in debating the ethics of spam at the moment either, but if you weren't already aware, you might be interested to know that
I have no interest in debating the ethics of spam at the moment either, but if you weren't already aware, you might be interested to know that
bbc news link I believe the fine can be up to £5,000, or unlimited if it goes before a jury
editor
hiraethified
It's even easier not to fucking spam people in the first place.steve indigenou said:
If you act like a scumbag low life spammer, don't be surprised if people respond accordingly.
If you'd acted ethically and respected people's right not to receive unwanted multiple spams from you, this thread wouldn't exist.
editor
hiraethified
That's a lie I'm afraid.steve indigenou said:
I've never commented or slagged off your community work.
I'm slagging off your loathsome spamming, your arrogance and your woeful inter-personal skills which is doing no favours for Synergy.
Far from encouraging local people to get involved with your project, your attitude has managed to alienate a large chunk of your potential audience.
You've pissed me off for starters, and after reading the guff on your site, I would have thought I'd be just the kind of skilled design person you'd want on board.
Perhaps you should read and learn from some of the negative feedback on this thread?
PS Where did you get the email list from? Did you trawl this site?
