15. Peoples Attitudes

An Opinion By Ieuan Dolby

It is very important in life to accept that not everybody is the same as oneself, that different ideas, plans and attitudes make others see things differently and therefore place items on different rungs of the literal ladder! It is though clear that many of these people are so caught up with themselves that they cannot see daylight, even though they are standing under the midday sun and without recourse to shade!

Employees in Business are the worst! They take onto their shoulders the companies ideals and future aspirations to the detriment of those around them! They barge forward like a bull in a china shop, intent on fulfilling aims and ideals and for the most part get-away-with it. The company likes them because 'things' get done, colleagues don't notice or admire this steam-rolling behavior as it is what they aspire to be, but behind this march to success is a road strewn with cast aside and helpless people, the victims of blatant authoritarianism and "I'm in charge" attitudes that preclude all else.

An apartment block downtown has serious problems with sewage! Many of the apartments are flooded with the vile overflow of a hundred toilets and the sole maintenance technician is sweating furiously over a problem that is far beyond his scope and capabilities! In fact, it looks like he went down a drain to try and clear it! He is standing at the reception desk drenched in a sickly brown fluid whilst trying to reach the fire-brigade, the police and the emergency plumber (who chose that day to go on the screaming piss) and behind him is an obvious businessman (the suit and briefcase give him away) who can't keep his mouth shut! This obnoxious loudmouth is repeating over and over again "my goddam fax machine has now power to it, ya'll have to get the machine whizzing as I need to talk to my buyers in LA"! Never mind the other hundred or so poor soles who, although quiet, can only picture a night ahead in what could be a public lavatory at Kings Cross Station after a football match! This maintenance technician will undoubtedly go immediately to fix the power problem on this guys fax machine for two reasons: a) because he is helpless on the other matter and wants to be seen to be doing something and b) because he simply cannot concentrate on the other problem with this repetitive bleating in his ear!

This is business! This is the way that the world turns, were dollars are made and were promotions are found! Deals cannot be struck unless a positive, (I don't take shit) attitude is shown; contracts cannot be made unless both parties are fully aware that the other is as equally heavy and forward as the other! Weakness is not allowed, it is not entertained and it is quickly swept under the carpet along with its owner!

At the end of the day it all boils down to money, the age old proverb "money is the root of all evils" certainly taking pole place! If for instance some insurance agent told his customer, whose house had burnt down along with all his possessions, that he would give him the check first and ask questions later he would not have his job for long! In fact, the reverse typically happens, with the poor sole who has lost everything having to wait months if not years for a pay-out simply because the Insurance Company will research every possible angle to try not to fork-out.

Business people tread through life with hob nailed boots permanently attached to their blinkered souls and it is the small man, the lowly employee, the small business owner and the "weak" who suffer! It is they who come in second place, it is they who have to move aside like the rowing boat to the super tanker, it is they who have no soap box to shout out from and it is they who don't wear blinkers!

I would rather be the one who tries to succeed through diplomacy and acknowledgement of others values and ideals! I would prefer to be the guy who never made it big simply because he was too nice! At least in this way I can die happy, knowing that I never intentionally hurt another under the guise of business, that I listened openly and took onboard all that was laid in my path and only continued forging ahead when fully positive that I would not leave behind a path strewn with ill-will and upset livelihoods!

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