tis the season....
Sometimes I just...I dunno....I'm riled and this blog gives me the avenue to vent.
A post or three ago, I talked about Christmas coming together, and I mentioned that I did actually get out and shop a little for a work related thing. Now, I'll get into a little detail. Each department at work has been assigned a family. These families are not well off and won't get much of a Christmas without help. Our department has a family with 2 or 3 kids, and each family member has a wish list. The idea is you sign up for one or more items on someone's wish list, buy it, wrap it, bring it in this coming Monday at a company meeting and put it in a box provided for your family. It's a nice thing to do. No, it doesn't solve the poverty issue. No, it doesn't lead that family down the road to prosperity. Yes it's giving them a fish instead of teaching them to fish, but it's just one thing. It's just a nice thing to do. No more, no less. Response has been lukewarm, so the big boss, trying to make it easier on everyone to do their part if they choose, sent his assistant (the politically correct word for secretary) around with the list to offer people the chance to sign up for something without even having to leave their desk.
But damn...if you don't want to participate...just don't participate. I don't care why. Just say, "no thanks," and move along. Don't launch into a half hour of why you can't be bothered, and turn into judge, jury and executioner in the process. "She's a thirteen year old girl and she wears an extra large shirt? She doesn't need DVDs, she needs a gym membership." "They don't need presents, we should give the parents jobs and let them buy presents." "No, they don't want jobs. They want us to give them presents." "I resent the company sending her in here and pressuring us to participate." "We won't get any credit for this. It'll just be the company reaching out to the community. I'm sure there will be a press release." It's been a while since I've heard the rationalization of greed, or a lack of heart, or whatever it is sound this damn loud. Not to politicize it, but it also comes from both sides of the political spectrum. The liberal over the cubicle wall is of the opinion that it doesn't go far enough and is just a vehicle to make the company look good, so he won't participate. No, he has no alternatives and therefore will do nothing. Well, honestly, doesn't the company deserve some credit? I mean, without them getting the ball rolling, none of this happens, whether you help it or not. Someone more conservative than me (yes, there is such a place) won't particiapte because these people are deadbeats and don't deserve their help. They're obviously eating well, being lazy and have their hands out. Without ever meeting them, this person has condemned our family to couch potato hell. So together they take the opportunity to belittle the family and criticize the company in an apparent effort to make them feel better about doing.....nothing.
I was just sort-of shocked...and disgusted, I guess. No, none of us is independently wealthy, but we are all computer geeks in our little hovel, so we aren't scraping by at minimum wage either, and we can be nice to someone who doesn't have a whole lot once in a while...and the opportunity came right to you. It really couldn't get much easier (OK, maybe if someone else shopped for you and wrapped for you...and breathed for you...), and who gives a damn who gets "credit" (and where do they keep that ledger, and who reads it, and what does it matter to a 12 year old boy who will only have a better Christmas if you make it so?). No, it won't save the world, and no, it doesn't make their lives permanently better. It's just a way to make the season...nicer, for someone who doesn't see a lot of nice. But nooooooooooo. Merry f'ing Christmas to you too, people. Geez.
A post or three ago, I talked about Christmas coming together, and I mentioned that I did actually get out and shop a little for a work related thing. Now, I'll get into a little detail. Each department at work has been assigned a family. These families are not well off and won't get much of a Christmas without help. Our department has a family with 2 or 3 kids, and each family member has a wish list. The idea is you sign up for one or more items on someone's wish list, buy it, wrap it, bring it in this coming Monday at a company meeting and put it in a box provided for your family. It's a nice thing to do. No, it doesn't solve the poverty issue. No, it doesn't lead that family down the road to prosperity. Yes it's giving them a fish instead of teaching them to fish, but it's just one thing. It's just a nice thing to do. No more, no less. Response has been lukewarm, so the big boss, trying to make it easier on everyone to do their part if they choose, sent his assistant (the politically correct word for secretary) around with the list to offer people the chance to sign up for something without even having to leave their desk.
But damn...if you don't want to participate...just don't participate. I don't care why. Just say, "no thanks," and move along. Don't launch into a half hour of why you can't be bothered, and turn into judge, jury and executioner in the process. "She's a thirteen year old girl and she wears an extra large shirt? She doesn't need DVDs, she needs a gym membership." "They don't need presents, we should give the parents jobs and let them buy presents." "No, they don't want jobs. They want us to give them presents." "I resent the company sending her in here and pressuring us to participate." "We won't get any credit for this. It'll just be the company reaching out to the community. I'm sure there will be a press release." It's been a while since I've heard the rationalization of greed, or a lack of heart, or whatever it is sound this damn loud. Not to politicize it, but it also comes from both sides of the political spectrum. The liberal over the cubicle wall is of the opinion that it doesn't go far enough and is just a vehicle to make the company look good, so he won't participate. No, he has no alternatives and therefore will do nothing. Well, honestly, doesn't the company deserve some credit? I mean, without them getting the ball rolling, none of this happens, whether you help it or not. Someone more conservative than me (yes, there is such a place) won't particiapte because these people are deadbeats and don't deserve their help. They're obviously eating well, being lazy and have their hands out. Without ever meeting them, this person has condemned our family to couch potato hell. So together they take the opportunity to belittle the family and criticize the company in an apparent effort to make them feel better about doing.....nothing.
I was just sort-of shocked...and disgusted, I guess. No, none of us is independently wealthy, but we are all computer geeks in our little hovel, so we aren't scraping by at minimum wage either, and we can be nice to someone who doesn't have a whole lot once in a while...and the opportunity came right to you. It really couldn't get much easier (OK, maybe if someone else shopped for you and wrapped for you...and breathed for you...), and who gives a damn who gets "credit" (and where do they keep that ledger, and who reads it, and what does it matter to a 12 year old boy who will only have a better Christmas if you make it so?). No, it won't save the world, and no, it doesn't make their lives permanently better. It's just a way to make the season...nicer, for someone who doesn't see a lot of nice. But nooooooooooo. Merry f'ing Christmas to you too, people. Geez.
John put this out here at 11:48 AM
1 Comments:
What happened to the spirit of Christmas and Christian fellowship...
Hiding behind politics to avoid spending a few dollars and using the excuse that you wont get any credit for the act of kindness being offered your way... what kind of people do you have to work with?
you go John... another rant maybe... but not without reason
Jo :)
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