North American Conformists

"...We work in offices, we fight rules and corporations but we hardly ever hit anybody. Not that hitting anybody is a solution. But to survive in the world at one time, one had to stand up and fight - fight the weather, fight the land or fight the rocks. I think there is a real desire for man to do that. Today he has evolved into being more passive, conforming..."

"...I think it's a reflection of the North American way of life. This is one of the ways you are somebody: you beat somebody. You're better than they are. Somebody has to be less than you in order for you to be somebody. I don't know if that's right anymore. I don't have that drive anymore."

From Working by Studs Terkel. Interview with former Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks player Eric Nesterenko.

Studs Terkel. It has to be among the wildest of names, no?

***

Some people do deserve to be punched. Let me get that out of the way.

We are more conforming today. There's not much doubt about this. A couple of years back I was hired by an internet company as a writer posing and pretending to be cutting edge. They were dull and nothing of the sort. It was an assembly line only it was for repackaged websites instead of widgets. There was absolutely no room for personal growth or creativity.

You had to conform. Me? Shit. I can't do that. I just can't. The current construct of our ways makes little if any sense to me.

I also worked at a call center. A call center is a place where everything is carefully scripted. If you're a free thinker, don't go work at a call center; unless you need the money bad and are willing to be frozen like juice on a popsicle stick taking orders from people who shouldn't even dress themselves let alone be allowed to direct other humans.

It seems the more we screamed and yearned for a "new" way of working, we just ended up with the same manners and methods. The bubble burst on that bright balloon in 2000. Remember? No neck ties was the future of the board room. Much like how I was encouraged to learn Japanese since the Japanians were coming to take over America in the late 80s and early 90s. I had enough trouble with three thank you very much.

Now, I entered a realm I needed to be in. Entrepreneurship is an underground art form. Its spirit roams the souls of a few and escapes those who should accept it.

Alas, listen to the narrative around you; business is bad. It must be reigned in for the greater good. Why go through all the obstacles thrown at your feet? Face excessive municipal ordinances, rules and zonage laws.


Go work for a stable company, get a pension and make sure the state gives what's coming to you.
I would love to see what we'd come up with if we were truly free to exert our passions as business artists.

Maybe Nesterenko was onto something.  Perhaps we're nothing but cattle. Pick your animal of choice. I call free-range cow! Cows don't move much.

I'm better than you. I know this. You know this. And vice-versa. I sold more friggin term deposits ergo I know about financial markets. It was and is a zero-sum game. Maybe that's why the jackasses keep getting rewarded. Who knows?

Found the Nesterenko image here.