The joy of Despair :-(
People who know me best will agree I sometimes have a twisted mind, which might explain why I get such a chuckle out of the products offered by Despair, Inc.
Everyone has seen those motivational posters featuring a beautiful color photo and a few brief words of encouragement regarding attitude, leadership, priorities, teamwork, etc. People can find them in almost every office as managers seek cheap ways to gently motivate their employees.
Enter Despair, Inc., and it’s series of trademarked “Demotivators.” These hillarious posters, calendars and greeting cards look identical to the common motivational products. But they’re sure to garner a second glance in any office.
For example, imagine a stunning photo of a salmon leaping up a waterfall into the mouth of a waiting bear. The caption reads “Ambition: The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.”
How about a photo of a surfer paddling over a wave near the shadow of a large shark? The caption reads “Change: It’s a short trip from riding the waves of change to being torn apart by the jaws of defeat.”
There’s a beautiful river scene at sunset with the caption “Despair: It’s always darkest before it goes pitch black.”
There’s a image of the Paris skyline with the caption “Effort: Hard work never killed anybody, but it is illegal in some places.”
I think my favorite is the image of a large snowball rolling down a hill with the caption “Teamwork: A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.”
Or, perhaps, it’s the image of a young quarterback being pummeled by a tackle. The caption reads “Success: Some people dream of success while other people live to crush those dreams.”
There are nearly 100 soul-crushing demotivators available at www.despair.com. Regardless of whether you’re having a good day or a bad day, these brilliant products are sure to bring a smile to your face.
If you want to order one, it’s easy. Just click on the Disservice button on the website. You’ll be directed to a page showing a disinterested woman wearing a headset with the caption “Customer Disservice: We’re not satisfied until you’re not satisfied.”
But for real fun, check out the answers to their frequently asked questions. Some of the responses will leave you laughing hysterically. What’s your favorite Demotivator?