3 ms·

Perhaps, but the profit motivation is completely different. One's there to serve and the other to bill hours.

by ijustlovemath 2y ago

s1artibartfast 2y ago
Both are there to collect a check. One can get fired for doing nothing and the other cant.
- ijustlovemath 2y ago
  I'd counter that the cost to the American taxpayer is far less when you avoid the consultant upcharge, all else being equal.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    Perhaps, but that is an entirely independent claim from the idea that government employees are passionate self sacrificers
aerostable_slug 2y ago
Based on my personal experience and that of many others I know, that's about as wrong as one can get. A great many government workers are there to collect a paycheck and go home (just like many other people working for many other employers). Their commitment to 'the mission' hovers near zero. Just ask them. Where do people get these crazy ideas about government employees? There are some wonderful people in public service, but it's not some Wonkaland of saints who toil just to help others and do the right thing.
- ijustlovemath 2y ago
  Personally, I get this from my interactions with the reviewers at the FDA. Absolutely buried in work, always make the best effort to improve your submission, etc.
  - whimsicalism 2y ago
    fda reviewers are extremely out of distribution relative to almost every government worker except those at, say, the Fed. i would caution against trying to generalize that because it is mostly people taking a short term stint out of their profssional/academic career. sorta like dining in a michelin restaraunt and deciding that cafeteria workers are really good at cooking
- icedchai 2y ago
  Yeah, it's not binary. I personally know government tech workers, true civil servants, that care and are clearly there to serve. These are the type of people you want in government. Yes, the opposite cliche that goes home right at 5 after barely doing anything also exists. I briefly worked with an ex-government "product manager" type that was clueless AF. I'm not sure how they even held on to their former job.

Perhaps, but the profit motivation is completely different. One's there to serve and the other to bill hours.

s1artibartfast 2y ago

Both are there to collect a check. One can get fired for doing nothing and the other cant.

ijustlovemath 2y ago
I'd counter that the cost to the American taxpayer is far less when you avoid the consultant upcharge, all else being equal.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  Perhaps, but that is an entirely independent claim from the idea that government employees are passionate self sacrificers

aerostable_slug 2y ago

Based on my personal experience and that of many others I know, that's about as wrong as one can get. A great many government workers are there to collect a paycheck and go home (just like many other people working for many other employers). Their commitment to 'the mission' hovers near zero. Just ask them. Where do people get these crazy ideas about government employees? There are some wonderful people in public service, but it's not some Wonkaland of saints who toil just to help others and do the right thing.

ijustlovemath 2y ago
Personally, I get this from my interactions with the reviewers at the FDA. Absolutely buried in work, always make the best effort to improve your submission, etc.
- whimsicalism 2y ago
  fda reviewers are extremely out of distribution relative to almost every government worker except those at, say, the Fed. i would caution against trying to generalize that because it is mostly people taking a short term stint out of their profssional/academic career. sorta like dining in a michelin restaraunt and deciding that cafeteria workers are really good at cooking
icedchai 2y ago
Yeah, it's not binary. I personally know government tech workers, true civil servants, that care and are clearly there to serve. These are the type of people you want in government. Yes, the opposite cliche that goes home right at 5 after barely doing anything also exists. I briefly worked with an ex-government "product manager" type that was clueless AF. I'm not sure how they even held on to their former job.