The Authentic Eccentric

Are you tired of business as usual?

Sometimes, it seems that companies have forgotten that their greatest assets are the people that work with them. Between outsourcing and downsizing, corporate fraud and outrageous executive compensation plans, the American workforce feels pretty beat up.

Corporations are making decisions based on financial markets and shareholder demands for consistent growth and stable profits. They’ve propagated the “don’t make waves” mentality by squelching innovation and promoting mediocrity.

Not all of them, but a lot.

At the same time, Americans must love to work - since 1972, the average work year has lengthened by 163 hours. Actually, I think it is because we’ve become the largest consumer oriented society in the world, and we have the national debt to prove it.

The problem lies in media, advertising and the voracious nature of the modern for-profit corporation.

We’ve been sold a bad bill of goods. We have become a nation of consumers, shopping both for basic necessities and an ever increasing list of crap we are told that we need to keep up with the Jones. We wait for politicians and companies to solve our growing health care and social security crisis, then act surprised when we’re left without a voice in the solution.

We’re told to do more with less without being involved in deciding why. Great ideas are usurped in classic power struggles between layers of corporate padding. The consumers who buy products are increasingly distanced from the people who make them, removing our incentive to monitor quality and environmental factors.

Call me idealistic, but I don’t want to live like that. This is my invitation to join me in spreading the news that it is possible and desirable NOT to. American workers are many things, but stupid isn’t one of them. I believe that by working together in interest and social networks we don’t have to live unauthentic lives, especially when we leverage technology instead of being driven by it. If you’re interested in further discussion or participation, please subscribe to our feeds or leave me a comment.

Oh, and for the extreme trivia buffs, here are the dictionary direct definitions:

au·then·tic
adj 1: conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief; “an authentic account by an eyewitness”; “reliable information” [syn: reliable] 2: not counterfeit or copied; “an authentic signature”; “a bona fide manuscript”; “an unquestionable antique”; “photographs taken in a veritable bull ring” [syn: bona fide, unquestionable, veritable]

ec·cen·tric
adj.
1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern. See Synonyms at strange. 2. Deviating from a circular form or path, as in an elliptical orbit. 3. 1. Not situated at or in the geometric center. 2. Having the axis located elsewhere than at the geometric center.
n.
1. One that deviates markedly from an established norm, especially a person of odd or unconventional behavior. 2. Physics. A disk or wheel having its axis of revolution displaced from its center so that it is capable of imparting reciprocating motion.

Thanks for stopping in. Do come back soon and see what mischief we’re up to.