4 ms·

What do you mean by “Kafka-esque” in this context?

ranie93 9y ago
Probably this: "The term "Kafkaesque" is used to describe concepts and situations reminiscent of his work, particularly Der Process (The Trial) and "Die Verwandlung" (The Metamorphosis). Examples include instances in which bureaucracies overpower people, often in a surreal, nightmarish milieu which evokes feelings of senselessness, disorientation, and helplessness." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#"Kafkaesque" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#"Kafkaesque"
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- pdkl95 9y ago
  One of The Onion's best skits is a about a very "Kafkaesque" business. > Business Week rated Franz Kafka International among the worst airports in terms of customer service, calling the employees completely indifferent to traveler's needs. "If there is as problem, fill out complaint form and place it in an envelope addressed to the name of the hospital in which you were born." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ
- sahil-kang 9y ago
  I had immediately thought of the Apache Kafka project, but this makes much more sense. Thanks for the new reading material too :)
  - bonesss 9y ago
    I figured that "Apache Kafka-esque" was pretty appropriate here... Walmart is high volume, distributed, and its workers require a Zookeeper <rimshot>.
georgemcbay 9y ago
Ever try to talk to a human at Google when you need support for anything other than AdSense? That would be a good encapsulation.
- IncRnd 9y ago
  I've tried one and only one time to speak to someone at Google (not for adsense). At that time I was trying to recover an old email account that had been unused for awhile. I was perfectly ready to just create a new account but still wanted to try to get at an email that I thought might be inside this account. I was 100% ready to smack into a brick wall of non-responsiveness after I sent an email from a different account to their tech support. What actually happened was a live person called me back from Google and gave me access to the old account on the spot - despite my not remembering much about the account itself (date I opened it, name I registered it under, etc). That resolution was practically out of the twilight zone...
jyrkesh 9y ago
This Asterix cartoon is excellent at demonstrating the horrors of a Kafka-esque bureaucracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk
Sangermaine 9y ago
Meat-touching.

Probably this: "The term "Kafkaesque" is used to describe concepts and situations reminiscent of his work, particularly Der Process (The Trial) and "Die Verwandlung" (The Metamorphosis). Examples include instances in which bureaucracies overpower people, often in a surreal, nightmarish milieu which evokes feelings of senselessness, disorientation, and helplessness." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#"Kafkaesque" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#"Kafkaesque"

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
pdkl95 9y ago
One of The Onion's best skits is a about a very "Kafkaesque" business. > Business Week rated Franz Kafka International among the worst airports in terms of customer service, calling the employees completely indifferent to traveler's needs. "If there is as problem, fill out complaint form and place it in an envelope addressed to the name of the hospital in which you were born." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ
sahil-kang 9y ago
I had immediately thought of the Apache Kafka project, but this makes much more sense. Thanks for the new reading material too :)
- bonesss 9y ago
  I figured that "Apache Kafka-esque" was pretty appropriate here... Walmart is high volume, distributed, and its workers require a Zookeeper <rimshot>.

georgemcbay 9y ago

Ever try to talk to a human at Google when you need support for anything other than AdSense? That would be a good encapsulation.

IncRnd 9y ago
I've tried one and only one time to speak to someone at Google (not for adsense). At that time I was trying to recover an old email account that had been unused for awhile. I was perfectly ready to just create a new account but still wanted to try to get at an email that I thought might be inside this account. I was 100% ready to smack into a brick wall of non-responsiveness after I sent an email from a different account to their tech support. What actually happened was a live person called me back from Google and gave me access to the old account on the spot - despite my not remembering much about the account itself (date I opened it, name I registered it under, etc). That resolution was practically out of the twilight zone...

jyrkesh 9y ago

This Asterix cartoon is excellent at demonstrating the horrors of a Kafka-esque bureaucracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtEkUmYecnk

Sangermaine 9y ago

Meat-touching.