the cult of the corporate whore
Still rambling until I collate the feedback, and plz keep it coming.
So, how's school you (didn't) ask? Well, I'm almost there, a few more classes to go, and then I'm done. Allegedly. 'Cept for the gnawing bug my ex-professor, Dr. X planted in my head about cultivating my creativity for the greater good. The bug that's now chewing thru my already addled brain, trying to figure out how I can teach, and keep my current salary. Antyhoo...
While I'm 80% finished, I'm 95% bored & frustrated...grad school just hasn't been all that it's cracked up to be.
I thought I would learn things that would aid my continuing climb up the corporate ladder. Or better understand the machinations of my management team. Yanno what I've learned? One basic principle drives it all, and forgive me Gordon Gecko for innovating your line, but greed isn't just good...
the basic tenet: Greed is inevitable.
the fellowship of the $: When I imagined Biz School, particularly MBA programs, the visual of academe, steeped in rich tradition and Ivy league esoterics probably came to my mind. I visualized healthy respectful debates of socio-economic principles, their merits as applied to the business environment, et. al. But - the reality is that it's the A.pprentice. Imagine 20-25 students in a classroom, vying for A's by (basically) blowing smoke up the professor's a$$, regurgitating his theories, and scoring points by ripping their colleague's hypotheses apart (whether they have validity or not). Yeah, that's it. And all that to support/reiterate/propogate that basic theory: Greed is inevitable.
more theology: That greed is taking over the world. That the most important value in today's world to possess/increase/retain is shareholder value. That what most companies do for strategy is wholly unimportant unless they increase shareholder value. And if you doubt the validity in this, I have myriad tomes that quote chapter & verse this same scripture.
I feel dirty.
I think my brain checked out 2 semesters ago. See, I'm sorta bright. But I'm also a classic over (under) achiever. Given the motivation and capability, I'm seriously competitive. But if I know I can't compete (lacking either aforementioned fuels), I check out. Completely. And I'm un-motivated. So, I'm un-competitive.
the cosmology: I feel like at the end of this, we're all charged to go out into the world, and do anything for a $. Anything to increase shareholder value, anything to ensure the ROI/ROE increases, while Costs are minimized, and who gives a flying f*ck about the impact that we - as decision-makers - have on the fate or our companies, families, colleagues, societies, and culture. Make that money mahne, that's all that matters.
It's a pimp game shawty. My school's pimping me for bread, teaching me how to trick for more bread, and if I get good enough at it, I get promoted - then I can turn other corporate hoe's out, make them trick for me, and just collect that bread, ya dig? I'm a hustla, baby - I just want you to know....
So, given that - do I succumb to the cult, trick for A's, then go out and trick for $? Cruise, take my B and the piece of paper, and ponder becoming Dr. Troublemaker (yanno that's what I'd love to do, right?). Or quit now while I'm ahead, and take my social life back? 2.5 weeks left in this semester. Hm?
the mantra: Repeat after me: Nyam-dollar-yen-peso-rupee-yuan-euroooo....
ETA: I thought I posted this a week ago. Damn.