Facebook , like many Silicon Valley giants , has a mythology that ’s used to indoctrinate workers . To help spread this ancestral origin story , Facebook enlist its in - firm photographic print shop to publish a book of cultish aphorisms to channelize conscript towards the light .
Several photographs of the book are published on theportfolio website of Ben Barry . Barry is a designer who used to runFacebook ’s Analog Research Laboratory , a rosehip studio that hopes to encourage some non - digital thinking at the humans ’s most powerful social media company . According to Barry ’s writeup :
As the company of Facebook grow , we face a sight of challenges . One of them was excuse our company ’s mission , story , and civilisation to new employees . Over the years , a lot of formative company discussions and debates had fall out in Facebook Groups , over electronic mail , or in person . Those who had been present at the time had context , but for new employees that entropy was difficult to find , even if you knew what you were calculate for . We wanted to seek to package a destiny of those taradiddle and idea in one place to give to all employees .
The Little Red Book takes its name from the moniker of a tract of credit by Chinese communist dictator Mao Zedong . That pamphlet used to be extend around and cite by party appendage . Now it ’s a cutesy title for a technical school company ’s Welcome Aboard manual of arms .
The teachings of Mark Zukerberg range from hollow to insightful . And though the book ’s construct has the tinge of delusional ego - grandness , a lot of it ring true . You ’re correct Facebook , I do n’t like you and your horrible privacy policies , but I apply you because all my friends are on Facebook and I wish them .
Like otherdesign - forward manualswe’ve seen before , Facebook ’s Little Red Book is beautiful . It look hired hand - bound and artisanal , so it ’s the variety of thing you keep on the shelf right on next to your desk at all clock time . It ’s imply to be a cherished memento that welcomes new employee to the group , and reminds them that goshdarnit , we ’re making the mankind more opened and link up , how cool is that ?
[ The Office of Ben BarryviaTNW ]
Correction : This Emily Price Post originally misspelled Barry ’s name . Also , it mistakenly said the book was hand bind . Barry wasvery graciousin correct these mistake . Gizmodo regrets the misplay .
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