I Resign My Watch
Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I thought that I was part of something. My work, country, politics, a set of religious beliefs, friends, culture and family. I truly believed that I made a difference, that the aggregate of my beliefs made a difference. I thought that, if my deeds were noble and honest, that I could rally others to share those beliefs that I embraced. Thirty years ago I had dreams for myself, my family and the country.
Now, I know better. I'm part of nothing except a few religious beliefs and my core family. Work is mostly irrelevant. No one listens or cares. It's just a job that barely pays slave wages. Just show up and get paid or get fired and go away. Shrug. This country is a dysfunctional set of mobs, like lemmings headed for the cliff. I care as much about east coast victims of Sandy as I do about Egyptians, Syrians and Chinese. Which is to say, not at all. I'm a conservative but neither a Republican nor Democrat, neither party represents me more than just a little. Friends fell away as interests changed and culture is unrecognizable in this age.
Once I thought that if I stood my watch and did my best that civilization would continue for another day, week or year. Surrounded by millions of workers and patriots, the US would go on for a thousand years. Now I'm standing in the ruins of the late Roman empire as it crumbles around me more so every day. There is no leadership, only secrets and lies. And the secret is that all of our college educated leadership don't have a clue how to lead. They are incompetent fakes and therein lies the reason for the crumbling empire.
At the company's recent quarterly meeting the HR director said that over the next few weeks that they would roll out the annual appraisal process and discuss goals for the next year, including the employees long term goals. Absurd. The company has no goal other than finding a customer so we don't go bankrupt. And the company has never given me any direction or instructions, ever. What are reasonable goals for a dying company that has no work? And me, a 62 year old engineer? What are my career aspirations? Well, I hope to get paid for another 219 weeks and then retire. I neither want to work too hard nor too long each day nor do I want stress that just might kill me. I'd really like to train a younger man everything that I've learned over my 44 year work life. But there is no younger man to train in a dying company in the late Roman empire.
Four years ago when Delphi let me go I had hope and dreams. All that is gone. I belong to God and my family now as I long to retire. The empire and it's subjects are on their own. I resign my watch.
Now, I know better. I'm part of nothing except a few religious beliefs and my core family. Work is mostly irrelevant. No one listens or cares. It's just a job that barely pays slave wages. Just show up and get paid or get fired and go away. Shrug. This country is a dysfunctional set of mobs, like lemmings headed for the cliff. I care as much about east coast victims of Sandy as I do about Egyptians, Syrians and Chinese. Which is to say, not at all. I'm a conservative but neither a Republican nor Democrat, neither party represents me more than just a little. Friends fell away as interests changed and culture is unrecognizable in this age.
Once I thought that if I stood my watch and did my best that civilization would continue for another day, week or year. Surrounded by millions of workers and patriots, the US would go on for a thousand years. Now I'm standing in the ruins of the late Roman empire as it crumbles around me more so every day. There is no leadership, only secrets and lies. And the secret is that all of our college educated leadership don't have a clue how to lead. They are incompetent fakes and therein lies the reason for the crumbling empire.
At the company's recent quarterly meeting the HR director said that over the next few weeks that they would roll out the annual appraisal process and discuss goals for the next year, including the employees long term goals. Absurd. The company has no goal other than finding a customer so we don't go bankrupt. And the company has never given me any direction or instructions, ever. What are reasonable goals for a dying company that has no work? And me, a 62 year old engineer? What are my career aspirations? Well, I hope to get paid for another 219 weeks and then retire. I neither want to work too hard nor too long each day nor do I want stress that just might kill me. I'd really like to train a younger man everything that I've learned over my 44 year work life. But there is no younger man to train in a dying company in the late Roman empire.
Four years ago when Delphi let me go I had hope and dreams. All that is gone. I belong to God and my family now as I long to retire. The empire and it's subjects are on their own. I resign my watch.
posted by lugh lampfhota at 10:29 PM
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