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> What is the value in being offended, like, ever? It's a good bullshit detector. Instead of wasting time dealing with my board member's asinine suggestions, I

> What is the value in being offended, like, ever? It's a good bullshit detector. Instead of wasting time dealing with my board member's asinine suggestions, I can study interview questions and get a job at an employer that doesn't suck. An employer who suggests coupon books in lieu of CoL adjusted salaries is probably out-of-touch or manipulative in a lot of other ways. Call me irrational, but I don't want to spend my days working for a super manipulative employer... > Surely if you could genuinely acheive your goals by leveraging coupon books, wouldn't that be worth considering? Sure. But in lieu of raises that keep up with CoL? Hell No. > you'll have an understanding of why it won't work beyond "well it offended me". Again, I suggested common sense! Until I start seeing 2 for 1 mortgages, 1/2 off gasoline, BOGO surgeries, and 25% off tuition in coupon books? Well, it doesn't even take a spreadsheet for me to know that the things moving my CoL up aren't stocked in the Target or grocery stores... Again, hyper-rationalism that distracts you from using common sense is silly. > However it's a communication problem because the problem isn't "keep up with inflation", it's "maintain a consistent quality of life despite inflation". CoL is a quantitative measure of QoL. I'm having a really hard time imagining situations where inflation in the face of stagnant wages doesn't translate into lower QoL. Especially for folks who work for a living. > and I would never take the time to do this kind of thinking if I rejected ideas that "should offend me" without consideration. So you would really response neutrally to your employer handing out coupon books instead of annual raises? Then you're being had.

Bjartr 8y ago
> I suggested common sense! Common sense is far from infallible and in the face of an apparent in-good-faith suggestion I'm willing to question my common sense rather than follow it blindly. Note that this isn't the same as ignoring it, I'm just willing to admit that I might be wrong to start with. > Until I start seeing 2 for 1 mortgages, 1/2 off gasoline, BOGO surgeries, and 25% off tuition in coupon books? If I were really offered coupons as a solution to CoL, I would look into if such things existed. Sometimes what exists if you care to look for it can surprise you. > So you would really response neutrally to your employer handing out coupon books instead of annual raises? Realistically I would react as follows: A) Immediate surprise and perhaps some incredulity depending on how the suggestion was delivered, but still thank them for the suggestion and let them know I would consider it. B) Knowing basically nothing about using coupon books in this context, I'd take a few tens of minutes to look into how viable such a solution would be. C) Conclude that while potentially useful in isolation, the overhead involved in implementing the suggestion wipes out the usefulness. D) Return to my employer and inform them that their suggestion is not a viable solution and that I wish to continue salary negotiations in good faith. This whole process would take less than a day.

Bjartr 8y ago

> I suggested common sense! Common sense is far from infallible and in the face of an apparent in-good-faith suggestion I'm willing to question my common sense rather than follow it blindly. Note that this isn't the same as ignoring it, I'm just willing to admit that I might be wrong to start with. > Until I start seeing 2 for 1 mortgages, 1/2 off gasoline, BOGO surgeries, and 25% off tuition in coupon books? If I were really offered coupons as a solution to CoL, I would look into if such things existed. Sometimes what exists if you care to look for it can surprise you. > So you would really response neutrally to your employer handing out coupon books instead of annual raises? Realistically I would react as follows: A) Immediate surprise and perhaps some incredulity depending on how the suggestion was delivered, but still thank them for the suggestion and let them know I would consider it. B) Knowing basically nothing about using coupon books in this context, I'd take a few tens of minutes to look into how viable such a solution would be. C) Conclude that while potentially useful in isolation, the overhead involved in implementing the suggestion wipes out the usefulness. D) Return to my employer and inform them that their suggestion is not a viable solution and that I wish to continue salary negotiations in good faith. This whole process would take less than a day.