sxswi: Are You a Douchebag

It's undeniable: There are a lot of douchebags walking the Earth. But it's not the incorrigible douchebags that are the problem. It's that everyone has the ability to slip into douchebaggery. Yes, even at SXSW.

Fortunately, there's a panel for that.

Yesterday veteran de-douchebaginators Ed Hunsinger (edrabbit) John Adams (@netik), and Amber Osborne (@missdestructo) were joined by Scott Beale of Laughing Squid (@laughingsquid) for the heavily informative How To Not Be A Douchebag at SXSW. So what was the takeaway advice?

On Meeting People IRL

"Look people in the eye."

"I call that badge surfing." on staring at IDs, not faces

"Give people context for how they would know you."

On Business Cards

"Drive-by shooting, the guy who fires business cards in your face."

"People are not baseball cards"

On Social Media Etiquette

"Repetive spamming of any service … is really unnacceptable behavior."

"A lot of people who are following you aren't here."

"If you're going to do the foursquare bombing, at least make it fun for your friends. The other day, I checked into I Like Turtles."

On Leaving a Panel

"The strongest thing you can do is vote with your feet. … You'll find something that's better for you, and you'll clear out the space for someone else."

On Social Gatherings

"Turn off your cell phone for most of the week, unless you're at a party, and then you probably won't hear it."

On Civility to Staff and Local Workers

"Don't be a dick to the roadies … they were here long before you were, they'll be here long after you are, and they don't care who you are." @edrabbit quoting Henry Rollins

On What Not to Say

"This free food sucks"

"I love they guy that comes up and says … 'oh, are you a musician?'"

"If I have to hear one more person say winning or tigers blood …"

Special Advice From the Author

"Don't just stop in the middle of the walkway to a film or panel. Seriously, people have place to get to." @yorkshireTX