Ascendency of the pointy-haired boss
Two events last week, unrelated except they both led to the same realization, made me aware that there’s an unexamined consequence to our current economic woes: Dilbertism.
The first event was the refusal by a retail chain, where the WAW household spends thousands of dollars a year, to honor coupons printed from a Web site. The store had accepted such coupons previously, but now says that because some shoppers have photocopied the coupons it will no longer do so. This, despite the fact (as was pointed out to the store) that the coupons’ legitimacy could be verified, and that they met the store’s conditions for acceptance.
The second event was an offhand comment from a friend in the news business, who begged off from an afternoon cup of coffee because an assignment had come up. My friend then added (and this is a paraphrase): “You wouldn’t believe what people do these days to keep their jobs.” Translated, it meant the assignment was a stupid one.
The moment I heard that lament, I realized that I’ve seen an increasing number of stupid stories recently in the various newspapers I read. Most bad story ideas are generated by editors rather than writers — an assertion that admittedly can be debated (but I’m right). In earlier times, however, when underlings didn’t fret so much about job security, there usually was push-back when stupid stories were proposed. The result was fewer of them ended up in the newspaper.
These days, writers don’t push back as often. Why flirt with unemployment?
My guess is that a similar instinct was behind the decision regarding the discount coupons. In the past, the store’s assistant manager probably would have exercised judgment — recognizing that the prohibition was ridiculously broad and rigid, and that it’s far better to keep a long-standing customer happy than to make an issue over $2.75 worth of coupons. Today, however, employees consider it wise to strictly adhere to company policy, no matter how stupid, because no one gets fired for following the rules.
The result of that mentality? A reluctance by employees to second-guess their bosses, the flowering of a don’t-make-waves mindset, and a squelching of creative, independent thinking. Put those things together, and we’re living in a Dilbert comic strip.
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 am
Amen. And, while damnable, it is completely justified. One twitch and you might be on the chopping block.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
Now this is a STUPID story, in yesterdays N&O. Suppose to be about BBQ but of course every time Tim Tyson is allowed to write something
for the N&O he can’t even do one column without bringing in the subject of “race”.
My Lord, does this man EAT race, too?
Can’t you get someone who is a truly educated person to write
columns?
It’s like an uncontrollable “tic” with this man. If he’s not
bringing in the subject of “race” with everything he does, he can’t
function.
Please find someone to contribute ideas who has evolved into
the current century.And that is not peddling his garbage.
on Tim Tyson correspondent
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 am
http://www.newsobserver.com/2766/story/1424017-p2.html
Tyson Story on BBQ
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Dan’s right. There’s nothing like high unemployment to put a perspective on one’s work.
With the economy in the dumper, unemployment on the rise, little and big businesses alike crumbling, the incentive to push back against nonsensical administrative issues and counterproductive policies at work evaporates for all but the most idealistic hungry interns. And I am happy to call myself a codger at this point.
I admit to it. Times like these, I tend to do what I’m told at work. Keep my head down, don’t attract any untoward attention to myself. I’m not feeling any of that
“Norma Rae” fight in me when I think about long term job health.
What’s that? You need a story written about how someone “left all that dirt in Boss’ hole”? Or is it the story about how someone “dug a hole and left all that dirt on Boss’ lawn”?
You just tell me what it is… and I’m a’writin’, Boss… I’m a’writin’.
… and MIT:
Talk about misspent fury! Reading comprehension counts! Brother, did you realize that Tyson’s N&O article was a review of a book about the history of BBQ in NC?
You’re indicting the author for including actual subjects from the book in the body of his review?
Tyson dedicates three sentences in his review to a section in the book entitled, “Separate but Equal”, which reflected on how BBQ institutions evolved along with changing ethnic cultures, concluding that they were, “happily and unselfconsciously … a good deal more integrated than most other places …”
IMO, Tyson’s piece is a mediocre review, but no cause for an indignant lathered fury on behalf of race. Tyson mentioning the book’s section on ethnic history is not race baiting. Instead, it shows readers how the authors combined various diverse dimensions of the BBQ world into their historical research. After all, it was, “Not a recipe book.”
So, MIT, in the words of Sgt. Hulka,* “Lighten Up, Francis…”
* Stripes, 1981
Oh, and AFAIK Gearino was never in charge of hiring N&O columnists or approving column content… but it’s fun to wonder about how things would be different if the inmates ran the asylum.
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Speaking of voluntarily (or otherwise) leaving the newspaper business, I cite one Mr. Ted Vanden, who in his final column before venturing to the public trough (where his job security will be more … well, secure), attempts to justify his acknowledgement of the N&O’s Leftist attributes by suggesting that being an advocate “for the voiceless against the powerful … that makes the established uncomfortable” is somehow the exclusivity of a Liberal Agenda. It is patently absurd and reflective of the Ivory Tower mentality to which both he and his soon-to-be former employer have been so regularly accused. Like a horse and its butt, since he can’t see it, he simply either disregards it as untrue or imagines it as some lovely and fertile orifice flowing benevolence upon the masses.
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
All that’s true Core Conservative but Tyson is the one who chose to HIGHLIGHT those excerpts from the book he was reviewing.
If you knew a little about that huckster you’d wonder why and be frightened that the N&O allows him to write anything for them.
My fury is that EVERYTHING Tyson writes includes RACE…..
No exception. And he helped railroad the guys at Duke by pretending to be a southern down home expert on everything.
His daddy is a preacher also who has bled old stories dry and they’ve both made their livings that way.
Do you know any man who makes up stories the way he does?
The comment that was removed was excellent and hit him right in his gut.
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I wave my paw at you and utter “Bah!”
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
Race issue aside…The attitude that really alarmed me in this aritcle on Sunday about pork barbecue is this; does anyone REALLY think that eastern style bbq is better than Lexington style? Really?