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So 400x pay ratios are the modern day equivalent of sacrificing a lamb in the hope the gods will bring good fortune?

• ZeroGravitas 11y ago
  My accounting professor explicitly compared auditing to this kind of primitive religion. Think of the "rainmaker" who brings the much needed rain for the tribes crops. You need to sacrifice an animal (that he eats) and do a big song and dance (to make it feel like you're doing something). If the ritual succeeds, then the rainmaker has done his job! If the ritual fails, then the sacrfice wasn't big enough, the dance wasn't long enough, people didn't believe enough. There's no allowance in the framework for the rainmaker to be blamed for being bad at his job. And even if there was, he'd just be replaced with someone who was equaly powerless. But who wants to admit that their entire existance is outside of their own control? I think of that lecture often, as a series of large companies collapses and no-one sees it coming.
  • mgkimsal 11y ago
    > and no-one sees it coming Perhaps no one at the top, or no one outside, but I'd be willing to bet a lot of lower-tier folks can often see the writing on the wall. I've been there myself a couple of times, and have had family members in similar situations.