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I think there's something about this article that isn't just off, but encourages a sort of psychopathy-victim dynamic. Where it oversimplifies reality, just fo
by derbOac 4y ago
I think there's something about this article that isn't just off, but encourages a sort of psychopathy-victim dynamic.
Where it oversimplifies reality, just for a few examples:
What about cases where people take credit for what others do?
What about when people prevent others from doing things, so as to create artificial scarcity?
Are others really knowledgeable about the long-term value of something to themselves? Are actors rational?
Just for instance: all of the characters in that Glengarry Glen Ross scene are white. What if that character decided blacks are worthless because no one wants to do business with a black person? Do we just passively shrug and say that's reasonable, if true? What about the long-term consequences of a workplace environment like the one in the film? Is there another way of doing it? What about the higher-order value of sales benefiting that company?
I think there's a certain false wisdom about the perspective of the article that rings hollow to me at this stage. Like, it's not just cold or harsh, but false.
Not too long ago there was an article posted here at HN about a sort of bias to see cynicism as intelligent, and I guess I see this as part of that pattern. I've met too many people in my life that justify rewarded narrowmindedness, bigotry, incompetence, or psychopathy in terms of "how life is". Maybe at some level that's true but to me it leads to a certain psychopathic brand of meaningless tautology in which we're all either swindlers or marks.
- escapedmoose 4y agoSure, in society at large, you’re often going to go without reward for doing good things, because of some confounding nonsense. This article breezes past that. But the author seemed like they were trying to speak on a personal level, and I can see why it would resonate with a lot of people on that personal level. There are plenty of other thinkpieces out there if you want to dig into all of society’s woes.
- throwawayboise 4y agoIt's just a movie, and it was used as hyperbole to illustrate the point that to an overwhelming degree, what matters is what you do, not (only) how you feel about it. It wasn't an endorsement of bosses being assholes or toxic work environments. Later in the piece the author discusses how feelings can be the motivator for doing good things, but the doing is the part that really matters.
- guerrilla 4y agoReally matters to who? Others is who. Not the person with the feelings, clearly. Also, whether it intended it or not it is now definitely a de facto endorsement of workplace abuse.
- happymellon 4y agoNo one gives a shit about your feelings, except you and your mother. Your SO might, except when it starts impacting what you produce, as that is who you really are to them. Feeling bad about everyone who you kill does not stop you being a serial killer
- __B_B__ 4y agoIf the only reason to do anything is because other people think you should, you better hope they have empathy for you.
- guerrilla 4y agoYOU give a shit about your feelings!
- happymellon 4y agoThat is literally what I wrote...
- guerrilla 4y agoYou wrote it as if doean't matter. Nothing could possibly matter to you more.