Realpolitik in Modern Institutional Dysfunction

In the cold, calculated corridors of power where Joseph Stalin once roamed, a seemingly simple question echoed, shaping the very fabric of political and social life: “Who/Whom?” This query, though straightforward, encapsulated a worldview where the essence of governance and control boiled down to dominance—specifically, who dominates whom. It wasn’t merely rhetorical; it was the…

Banned From Democracy

You know, it’s funny when I think about democracy these days. It’s like watching an ’80s hair band reunion – everything seems out of place, the harmony’s all off, and you’re left wondering if anyone even knows the original lyrics anymore. The great neoliberal establishments, once the cool kids on the global block, are now…

The Great American Heist

Oh, the lamentations! A veritable cry of despair from sea to shining sea. This country, this great Republic of ours, seems to have been picked clean, gutted, and replaced with a hollow mockery of its once-glorious self. You have to squint to see it through the fog of disillusionment, but if you look closely, you’ll…

Worrying About Work

I’m about to drop a bomb on your perception of how your day rolls out. Here’s the staggering truth: The average American is dedicating nearly six hours of their day to checking work and personal email. That’s right, six hours! Now, let’s dive into those minutes: 209 on work email and 143 on personal email….

Middle Management

My friend pointed out that despite all the credentials and ability, a big group of us were trapped under a glass ceiling in middle management and had no path or connections to anything better. Middle management is a lonely no-man’s land. Workers hate you for keeping them on task. They are infantile and just want…

Feminine Rule

The sun rose over the city, casting a golden light over the bustling streets below. The clack-clack of high heels on the pavement echoed through the air as women rushed to their offices, determined to take on the day like a bull charging into the ring. Women were the new demographic majority in the workplace,…

Trump Is Not Good For Everyone

Raging with cortisol is no way to get through the day. She allowed herself to be spun into outrage over media drama about the imaginary, trivial, and misrepresented. They knew how to push the buttons of people like her, and so those millions of needless casualties and the subsequent fractured nation were on their hands,…

Operating with Imperfect Information

Jobs are treated as rigid relationships because that illusion of constraints is easier for management. The yearly ritual review is there to solidify that falsehood. Both worker and manager agree on a narrow scheme of evaluation for a minimal raise disconnected from real issues concerning the business or worker. Were allegiance to this fiction doubted,…

Compromised to Ruins

We were caught in a vice: working too much, sleeping too little, and failing to maintain our health. Eventually the reaper calls. Waking up too early squeezes available time at the outset, releasing cortisol from the stress of trying to making the impossible fit. You either skip breakfast or eat garbage of some sort, not…

Honor and Money

“Honor and money cannot fit in the same bag.” -Proverb So it is. When the goal is money, it is clear that you must renounce honor. This is the purpose of workplace culture displacing normal standards. In the office you are asked to remain silent about your values, preferences, or beliefs while complying with orders…

Reluctant Master’s Degree

Realizing an undergraduate degree led to a no man’s land of cubicle dwelling, we reluctantly turned to credential acquisition. All you have to do is pay for classes, show up, listen, and complete your work. Anyone can do it; some do. A year or two later, you have another degree. Never believers in having degrees,…

Money Left On The Table

Some people in IT obviously earned good money, but how they earned it was unclear. Top talent was often well paid, but not rich, while those who received millions in stock were often mediocre and seemed to be lucky to get free money because their company was acquired. An organized approach for using talent to…