Just Like Real Life

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:31:00 GMT

Boss: I need you to do Ted's job and your own job until we hire someone.
Dilbert: If I do well, you'll make me do two jobs forever. If I do poorly, I'll get no raise.
Boss: I can't promise anything, but there might be some verbal praise down the road.

This is why I gotta get out of here! Goodbye Corporate America!

Someone mentioned Corporate America in their journal recently, and it got me to wondering about Corporate Australia. The term doesn't really exist, because I don't think corporations own Australia to the same degree that they own America.

Recently, I was reading about Star Trek: Deep Space 9. I kept reading that the creators of the show felt that the Ferengi were the most "human" characters in the show. I've been thinking about this though, and I realized that the key word in the Ferengi's vocabulary is "opportunity." If I were to characterize the monetary and social philosophy of the US and Europe, by distilling the ideas as much as possible, I would use the word "opportunity" for the US and "lifestyle" for Europe. (I think Australia lives somewhere between those two extremes). I think that in reality, the Ferengi are the most American characters in the show, and I think the way American TV producers and writers equate human values with American values is a troubling sign of cultural imperialism.

The Twilight Report

Just Like Real Life