18.3.09

The Brain Trust

Faced with decisions at work, I've been thinking a lot about what would happen if people suddenly stopped lending their brain power to things. Ayn Rand touched upon those ideas, but in a fictional setting. What if it were done for real? What if you were depended upon to come up with ideas to make the workplace "work," but you were forced to make decisions on bad policy and just decided that you wouldn't do it? It's not in your job description, and how would they really force you?

I'm a firm believer in letting people choke on their own stupidity. I think that sort of thing must be done in order to drive the point home. Justice is making people feel the ramifications of their own decisions and actions. What we tend to do instead is protect them from harm. We punish smart people, protect the dumb herd and consider this righteous. I don't mind lending a helping hand, but I start to get a little indignant when obstacles are put up by the very people I'm supposed to be helping.

I don't want to invest any more time in trying to help people who don't appreciate it and who do their best to make it as hard as possible for me to help them. I will continue with projects I've started, but I think I'm pulling my brain out of the mix. It's not that I don't care. I do. A lot, actually. I just have other things to do with my time ... like help people who really deserve it.

I'm sure some of you are in the same position. The place where people in power expect you to use your mind to get them out of a bind of some sort, to use your brain power to help enact policies that can't possibly work out well or even have the facade of fairness. Take a page from Mrs. Reagan and just say no ... or come up with an idea so bad it really fucks things up.

Imagine the possibilities...

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