[PLUG] OT, FYI...IBM Layoff

[Preston Crawford]

On Wed, 29 May 2002, Neil Anuskiewicz wrote:

> Yes, but the managers job is to figure out and define the goals of the
> organizatation and then get everyone working toward those goals. The
> professional, occupying a sometimes narrow nitch, cannot always be
> expected to see or understand the larger picture. That is the job of the
> manager.

And that's not always what they do. If a manager's job is to manage, why
are they always looking for people who can "work independently without
instruction"?

> Are there a lot of good managers? Well, the popularity of Dilbert
> demonstrates that no there are not a lot of good managers. But when you
> get a good manager it makes all the difference in the world -- it can
> transform a business or organization dramatically for the better.

I agree. And there aren't many out there.

> > And generally you're free to be crushed by the market-controlling,
> > bribe-giving, larger corporations.
>
> I have to call bullshit on that. If everyone who wants to make the world a
> better place took some practical steps to make it a better place, it would
> become a better place. The endless conspiracy theories and complaining
> does not make the world a better place but, in fact, makes it a worse
> place. BTW, I don't know you well enough to say whether you are someone
> who endlessly complains about the system but does not lift a finger to
> make an improvement to something that is right in front of them.
>
> There are numerous, numerous, examples of small businesses, alternative
> businesses, cooperatives, employee owned businesses, etc., that are
> operaing and succeeding.

There are numerous examples of these succeeding, I agree. And I do think
individual choices can make a difference. That's why I cycle to work,
partly why I'm vegetarian, why I shop local at New Seasons and farmers
markets and try to buy local produce. I'm all for small, local business. I
even volunteer on the side and have offered to volunteer for the schools
(although I haven't gotten a sense of how I can help yet) even though my
wife and I have chosen not to have children, knowing the world already has
enough.

So believe me, I get it. I try to live it. I don't always succeed, but I
try.

That said, I'm a pessimist. Most people don't even understand the damage
large companies are doing to the planet and to the fabric of society and I
don't think they ever will. They're too busy watching TV. Thus they don't
lift a finger or do anything when a large company bullies a smaller
company and they definitely don't shop local if it means paying a couple
extra bucks.

> regardless of your political ideology you do not know what is best for
> everyone else. I do not know what is best for everyone else. In fact,
> NOBODY knows what is best for everyone! To say otherwise is the height of
> hubris! (Not that you are neccesarely saying that).

I'm not saying I know what's best for everyone else, but I do have eyes. I
can see what's going on and I know problems when I see them.

> You can't blame the system for all the world's troubles and violence,
> which is clearly what you are doing. Some of the worst violence and
> degradation occured in the former soviet union and eastern block. Go to
> Eastern Europe and compare the pollution levels with Western Europe. The
> pollution and environmental degradation under communism was orders of
> magnitude worse than anything in the West.

I didn't blame the system for ALL the world's problems, but you must be
joking if you don't think there's a connection. Once again, the
instability in the Middle East alone should be proof. Our inability to
conserve energy or to be willing to pay the price for alternative energy
has led this nation to support a number of dictators and criminals in the
Middle East. We're still supporting them now, in fact. This is just one
example and it's a huge one with rippling ramifications all across the
globe and it could probably be solved, in part, if the American people had
the willpower and the imagination to conserve or to change the way they
live their lives, but they don't. And the companies involved in the game,
the oil companies, the auto companies have a vested interest in seeing
that nothing changes, and thus, in the name of profit they push forward.

So no, I don't believe our system is the worst. But it's the dominant
system right now and it's unfettered amoral nature is pushing mankind to
the limits on many fronts. This is a fact.

> Yes, it is possible to envision such a world. I myself envision such a
> world and I try to live my life according to some simple principles. But I
> would greatly resist the temptation that you seem to have that you are the
> fount of wisdom if only the ignorant sheep would listen to you tell them
> what is best for them. If I were you I would resist the temptation to
> think that way with all of your effort.

I'm not the fount of wisdom, but at least I see there's a problem. At
least I have an understanding of what it is. At least I have the moral
capacity to see that keeping a large portion of the world impoverished is
wrong at best and suicidal at worst. And the fact that a majority of the
population doesn't see this or doesn't care does make them ignorant, in my
opinion.

Preston