Compete Or Else …

Hi Jon

Remember when the discussion was over what humans would do with all that leisure time automation efficiency and its wealth effect would yield? When *was* that?

I remember watching the crony “opponents” and their crony guests go at it on the very early “Crossfire” show — who were the original morons, Kinsley and Buchanan? The thing that struck me was how comfortable they felt in being so transparent at show end when they would yuk it up nod nod wink wink nudge in the half light with their “opponents”. I’m surprised they didn’t have the limo pull right up onto the set so the whole gaggle could goose off together for dinner and drinks.

Of course, that confidence at being transparent liars is off the chart these days. In your face, cheeto eaters, remember, you shall inherit the earth.

Hi, a.

Yes, I do remeber those discussions, and I think it was mainly during the period early to mid-90’s ??

Off the chart is right. Today it is the theme for most of what forms the core of news-tainment, and it is the central focus of the competency model(s) for success in businesses and organizational life.

Amongst other bondage practices, I used to build competency models for big organizations in my former career. At that time (mid-90’s) the dim-but-growing-ever-brighter-realization that it would help lead to this was one of the key reasons I quit.

It bothers (and frightens) me quite a bit that for many this just becomes the way things are, the way things work. I understand more and more often and more clearly why (imperfect a solution as it is) Joe Bageant spends a lot of time living in Belize trying to pretend he is not a (relatively) wealthy American.