The right thing to do after being assigned a cubicle is to abstain from any design on it. It is already a synergistic perfection of brutalist minimalism. Second best is to be jovial, putting up your favorite cartoons and other subversive decorations until you cross the line and receive a warning from management. The worst…
Author: James
Technologically Facilitated National Divorce
Decades ago, Michael Jordan was not interested in ideology when selling shoes, declining an expected political endorsement by saying “Republicans buy shoes, too.” This was just pragmatic mercantilism, not laudatory upholding of civilization that tolerates public discussion of diverse ideas. The situation today is that popular voices offering alternatives to mainstream storytelling are subject to…
Corporate Anti-Majority Values
Every company wants more customers. Rather than make a superior product by understanding need and then delivering something of high quality, most opt to expand mediocre offerings to all demographics by appealing to the lowest common denominator. This strategy sabotages success by focusing on the trivial, signaling exodus to those seeking thoughtfully crafted tools. Google…
How To Invest
Ideal investment markets are so predictable they are boring. Companies regularly hit analyst quarterly projections. Normal returns obviate speculative plays, constraining economic activity to value. Reminded by current geopolitical events, could you in good conscience tell a young person at their first job to invest in a 401k? No one expects the US to last…
Ask For What You Want
The best lesson for job discussions I ever got was from a prank phone call. The core advice is to simply ask for what you want rather than complying with established norms or accepting something you don’t want. Changing jobs is not a time to compromise and begin a new undertaking that focuses on what…
Certification is a Scam
Tech certification plays upon the fantasy that a sensible way to get ahead with your career is to acquire credentials. As most people are even more lazy than stupid, they greedily desire as much advantage as possible for the least amount of effort. This allows certification sellers to offer an easily completed credential with a…