Killing me softly .....So, as many of you know, I work for the government. The Municipal Government, to be exact. I've always worked in the IT sector, but to give some background, before I worked here, I used to work for a major telecom firm, and before that, Oil and Gas services. When I worked in telecom, and in Oil and Gas, the focus was crystal clear: profit, profit, profit. Thou shalt appease the stockholders. Thy will be done. And as a worker, you get all caught up in the fervor of checking your company's stock every half-day, beads of sweat forming should the stock take a significant dive. You work yourself senseless in order to keep the machine going. Profits or Perish! I admit, I was into it. I would think, "What the hell? Only $20 million this quarter! Geez, I hope we can bang out a $60 million revenue statement next quarter! We need to kick the living hell out of (insert name here)!! "
So, that was then, this is now.
The projects I used to work on were mainly driven around earning more revenue for the corporation. But take a look at some of the projects that surround me now: Low Income Bus Pass, Traffic Detouring, Citizen Call Centre for citizens to call for help. Now the focus has shifted in a very ominous way, my focus is on citizens, not stockholders. My thirst for profits may be permanently impaired. But clearly the theme is that we are spending tax payers money, so citizens had better get value out of what we're doing. We're spending the people's money to better serve the people.
Add to this another thing. The City is in the throws of fund raising for the United Way. You see posters plastered all over the place that inform of just who the United Way helps. Images of the poor, down-trodden, people in general need of help are inescapable. So from the sheer repetition, you can't help but develop a soft spot for these people. I've already doled out 30 bucks for a "jeans sticker" which allows me to wear jeans to work, and I'm probably not done there. Most of us will shell out for something United Way related.
So, a thought occurred to me, a thought that caused me to shudder: "Am I turning into a Liberal? Am I being enticed by the sweet serenades of Jack Layton and Paul Martin?"
If I'm turning left, should I seek a cure? Or just hang my head and let it happen?
14 comments:
A. I smell propoganda. Did your boss put you up to this after giving the city a bad name for lurking in blogs and goofing off all day?
B. That has got to be the most disturbing picture I have ever seen, and I've been to rotten.com
This is the god's honest truth. I'm reaching out for help. I'm sinking in the quicksand of the left....
...must....get...tax .... break ... must resist .... urge to ...help ... poor.... ("gurgle")
you have moved from Capitalism to Socialism. What you're feeling now is Marx's theory on 'creating a social conscience'. Gerry, you are a worker now and therefore in touch with the proletariat. Don't let the people who are obssessed with large TVs sway you to the cold dark side of consumerism...
And yes, I find that picture disturbing but it's shock value to the capitalists is worth it...
That big LCD HDTV, if you pare it down to a cheaper 42 inch plasma, you can save $500, which could feed 100 homeless people on Thanksgiving.
Do you see now how I think?
The socialist experiment:
Soviet Union = failure
China = failure
Cuba = failure
North Korea = failure
Marx failed to address the basic lazyness that is in the heart of every man, woman and child. An income for able-bodied and minded workers whether they work or not is absolutely goofy, encourages stagnation while killing innovation and creativity.
yes and that is what the GULAG is for, lazy do-nothings. How long do you think you wold last in the GULAG Darwin? Not very long I am thinking so you may want to increase production...
How are China and Cuba failures? I bet if I looked in your Condo I would probably find that 90% of your stuff has been made in China. Even your imitation leather couchs. How is Cuba a failure? It's lasted 46 years with the constant threat of US invasion looming over it.
The Soviet Union fell apart not because of 'Communism' but because it was built on the crimes of Stalin .
The CBC documentary "Cuba: the Accidental Revolution" backs up Eric on that point. In no way is Cuba a failure.
You are right, Cuba from Castro's point of view is not a failure. Only if you happen to be a poor sap citizen. You are both full of crap. Neither of you would move to these countries and live in the conditions the citizens are subjected to.
Eric you are a total hypocrite—after all, on your first trip to Cuba, you ventured outside of state run establishments to eat in a "good" restaurant that was being ilegally operated—as a free enterprise. Methinks they may revoke your communist card membership if they catch you doing that.
If either of you wish to turn Canada into Cuba then you will face fierce and vehement opposition from people who value freedom, civil rights and democracy.
and don't forgert the right to oppress the workers!
We return to Cuba to be at one with the people. They have health care, education, enough to eat, a nice warm climate, sunny beaches and awesome booze. What more could they want?
What is missing from Cuba is the rampant consumerism that is so prevalent in our society. Darwin, you wouldn't last 30 seconds in Cuba without running around, foaming at the mouth, screaming 'I want my Best Buy, I want my Best Buy!' or that 80s model Porsches are not readily available to the middle-aged for their mid-life crisses...
I think Darwin is under the impression that socialism and communism are synonymous. I would say that those states that are "failures" are Communist states.
Are all people left of centre communist?
No, just Eric.
Consumerism is missing from Cuba because they have no choice! Far better to have the choice and abstain than to have nothing, no chance no possiblity. Gerry, I assure you I am not confused about the difference between Socialism and Communism, but was merely addressing Eric's Marx ideas. If you talk Marx and Cuba, communism.
Just checking. Earlier you had mentioned "The Socialist Experiment", but then go on to list Communist countries.
Sweden is also a Socialist country, for example.
The thing that bothers me about total socialism is that it elevates the government to completely "Mother" us and erode our own initiative and personal responsibility but in a free economy with a social safety net, it works better. Take the Home Depot slogan "You can do it. We can help." I think that's a great analogy for the mixed economy we have, which invites people to go for it but assists if they fail, fall ill, or cannot even get in the game. To me, a totally socialist society would have a slogan more like "You can't do it—it is our job to do it. Now get in line with the rest and wait for us to finish."
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