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Here's a very controversial and bitter take. Aiming for maximum downvotes. It's only when you get fired, you start to see clearly and are able to come out of t

by wg0 4y ago

Here's a very controversial and bitter take. Aiming for maximum downvotes. It's only when you get fired, you start to see clearly and are able to come out of that flowery lala land of "we're a team", "we're a family" and all that misplaced rather abused analogies. It's just a commercial relationship rooted in generating profit (nothing wrong with that) for which have to collaborate with others. There's no team, there's no family. Any prose and poetry beides that is also about squeezing every ounce of profit. It is a for profit activity so at least be direct and honest about it and refrain from borrowing analogies from other social constructs.

whstl 4y ago
I don't think it's controversial. Or bitter. Maybe I disagree about the part about "only when you get fired". To me it was enough seeing people getting fired, or having promotions postponed multiple times for no reason, or seeing a co-worker getting a verbal offers of a raise getting rescinded after they denied a job offer from another company, or having a C-level give me silent treatment when I disagreed with stupid release deadlines.
soundsgoodtome 4y ago
Can you even downvote on HN? E: For reference, I wouldn’t downvote this because it ain’t wrong.
- buggy6257 4y ago
  Once you have enough karma (I forget the threshold several hundred but less than 1000) the downvote button is available to you yes.
wonderwonder 4y ago
I've never been fired but pretty much realized this from job one. I do agree though that for the people who don't understand this and look at the company as a place where they work with friends towards a common goal getting fired is likely the best way for them to understand that they are all just cogs in a heartless machine. I had a team member fired the other day (he probably deserved it) and no one even bothered to tell me. I figured he quit and reached out wishing him well. I felt pretty awkward when I found out he was let go. The problem was they aren't even back filling his role, I just have to pick up the slack. He does a job totally different than mine that I really have no experience doing. I'm just winging it and not really caring about it. If they don't replace the guy I'm not putting in extra hours to ensure what he was doing gets done. Give me half his salary and I'll care.
Hermitian909 4y ago
> that flowery lala land of "we're a team", "we're a family" IMO "in a team" is actually achievable if you conceptualize it like a pro sports team where you can get laid off for under-performing, change in overall strategy, injuries etc. The players are still part of a team though. My current company did layoffs and I don't think anyone is feeling "loyal" but I certainly feel like a member of a team because my coworkers and I work collaboratively towards shared goals and step in to support each other. We don't do this out of any loyalty to the company but because this behavior helps us work better together in a way that is more pleasant and is rewarded by the company.

by wg0 4y ago

whstl 4y ago

I don't think it's controversial. Or bitter. Maybe I disagree about the part about "only when you get fired". To me it was enough seeing people getting fired, or having promotions postponed multiple times for no reason, or seeing a co-worker getting a verbal offers of a raise getting rescinded after they denied a job offer from another company, or having a C-level give me silent treatment when I disagreed with stupid release deadlines.

soundsgoodtome 4y ago

Can you even downvote on HN? E: For reference, I wouldn’t downvote this because it ain’t wrong.

buggy6257 4y ago
Once you have enough karma (I forget the threshold several hundred but less than 1000) the downvote button is available to you yes.

wonderwonder 4y ago

I've never been fired but pretty much realized this from job one. I do agree though that for the people who don't understand this and look at the company as a place where they work with friends towards a common goal getting fired is likely the best way for them to understand that they are all just cogs in a heartless machine. I had a team member fired the other day (he probably deserved it) and no one even bothered to tell me. I figured he quit and reached out wishing him well. I felt pretty awkward when I found out he was let go. The problem was they aren't even back filling his role, I just have to pick up the slack. He does a job totally different than mine that I really have no experience doing. I'm just winging it and not really caring about it. If they don't replace the guy I'm not putting in extra hours to ensure what he was doing gets done. Give me half his salary and I'll care.

Hermitian909 4y ago

> that flowery lala land of "we're a team", "we're a family" IMO "in a team" is actually achievable if you conceptualize it like a pro sports team where you can get laid off for under-performing, change in overall strategy, injuries etc. The players are still part of a team though. My current company did layoffs and I don't think anyone is feeling "loyal" but I certainly feel like a member of a team because my coworkers and I work collaboratively towards shared goals and step in to support each other. We don't do this out of any loyalty to the company but because this behavior helps us work better together in a way that is more pleasant and is rewarded by the company.