My time at a convenience store gas station was the only time my father said I was good at anything (and he was surprised). Well, there was one other time, but we'll skip that for now. His general opinion of me was that I was pretty useless. However, that was a deeply biased, self-aggrandizing assessment. What I've seen in the corporate world from gas station front to the posh halls of a high end hotel/restaurant/gym is that if you are effective and responsible, but not conservative, not white, or are female, yet built with integrity, the better the job you do, the more responsibility heaped on you, the more you get passed over because you're now too damned good at what you do to let you move up or out. Until management is certain you'll play ball with the correct manipulative attitude and proper camouflaged appearance they like, they don't want to pay you for your skill. We become the fulcrum, but distrusted to do what is done out of the grunt employee-base's and customer's line of sight. Interfacing with the upper management is only for those who have certain agreements about other people and the society in general--a certain adopted right-of-use let's say. Essentially, it is the view of "labor" as commodity, stopping short of outright calling others slaves, but treating them very close to that if not seeing staff as livestock. In prior decades, there was a certain decorum required for at least face value; what is said in the circles of upper management is not what is said to ground-floor staff. Now, however, upper management is looking to replace us with machines and "self-serve" counters. That's my experience when the shift between respect for workers back in the 70's to the current abandonment of the human employees in today's society occurred through the incremental undermining via philosophy, climate crisis, and disregard/denigration of humanity as a whole. In the 1970's, CEO's worked for much less pay. The cap was lifted off to the sky-is-the-limit model in the 80's (which is "when real money was invented"). Ever since then, the attitude fostered among those who practice cannibalism everyday is that this is the way the world is--not this is the way we have shaped society and made stealing legal.
Brilliant, Ethan. At the same time, there is an important pressed occurring: In a networked environment, the Rust moves work to the unpaid Gears at the edge of the work.
This moves not only replaces paid Gears with free ones, it imposes absolute control over the performance of those tasks.
On Amazon, you explore and sell yourself. You check yourself. You adopt and maintain your payment sources and mechanisms.
This is a brilliant, high-level piece of analysis. You've just perfectly described the other blade of the scissor.
My article focuses on what I'll call the "Frontline Front"—the W-2 gas station world, where the "unskilled" lie is used to turn us into a Human Shield to absorb customer rage.
You're describing the "Networked Front"—the 1099 gig economy (Amazon, Uber, etc.) where they impose "absolute control" and then weaponize our "independence" to make us absorb all the self-blame.
Your line, "Work is fucked up? Your fault..." is the perfect, devastating Truth Bullet for that entire prison.
This is a critical piece of the puzzle, and you've just inspired an entire follow-up article. I knew I was missing something. Thank you for this.
This is exactly the kind of strategic mind we're looking for.
You should give her source material a shot. I have a link to the anime series from my private Google Drive if you are interested. It’s called Higurashi, & I truly cannot understate its importance in my day-to-day philosophy lately.
A Gear shops online…performs the work. You make a mistake checking out. Now, the Machine tRusty refuses to accept yr order…you scan for mistake and fix.
tRusty responds: Missed field=2-hour penalty
(Message? Your mistakes can and should be penalized. )
Moving the work to the edge while maintaining closer-to-the-center control puts mistakes on the end-user. Have you ever gotten a message that says: ‘sorry for our shitty, confusing registration form/process. We’ll make it better right away!’ ???? Me neither.
Mistakes, ineptitude, penalties?All heaped on the hapless edge-of-the-network user.
For you, the control dynamics will become even fiercer over time driven by ever-more micro keystroke/electronic surveillance drivers. Also, serve as ‘you’re not good enough to do it right’ triggers.
Wow! Very clear. I understand only a little of what I learn on your site. I nibble a bit at a time, then ponder, digest, reflect, and (finally) respond. I take my time.
In short, I’ll be awhile catching up. In the meantime, please send a link to the Higurashi piece.
My time at a convenience store gas station was the only time my father said I was good at anything (and he was surprised). Well, there was one other time, but we'll skip that for now. His general opinion of me was that I was pretty useless. However, that was a deeply biased, self-aggrandizing assessment. What I've seen in the corporate world from gas station front to the posh halls of a high end hotel/restaurant/gym is that if you are effective and responsible, but not conservative, not white, or are female, yet built with integrity, the better the job you do, the more responsibility heaped on you, the more you get passed over because you're now too damned good at what you do to let you move up or out. Until management is certain you'll play ball with the correct manipulative attitude and proper camouflaged appearance they like, they don't want to pay you for your skill. We become the fulcrum, but distrusted to do what is done out of the grunt employee-base's and customer's line of sight. Interfacing with the upper management is only for those who have certain agreements about other people and the society in general--a certain adopted right-of-use let's say. Essentially, it is the view of "labor" as commodity, stopping short of outright calling others slaves, but treating them very close to that if not seeing staff as livestock. In prior decades, there was a certain decorum required for at least face value; what is said in the circles of upper management is not what is said to ground-floor staff. Now, however, upper management is looking to replace us with machines and "self-serve" counters. That's my experience when the shift between respect for workers back in the 70's to the current abandonment of the human employees in today's society occurred through the incremental undermining via philosophy, climate crisis, and disregard/denigration of humanity as a whole. In the 1970's, CEO's worked for much less pay. The cap was lifted off to the sky-is-the-limit model in the 80's (which is "when real money was invented"). Ever since then, the attitude fostered among those who practice cannibalism everyday is that this is the way the world is--not this is the way we have shaped society and made stealing legal.
Brilliant, Ethan. At the same time, there is an important pressed occurring: In a networked environment, the Rust moves work to the unpaid Gears at the edge of the work.
This moves not only replaces paid Gears with free ones, it imposes absolute control over the performance of those tasks.
On Amazon, you explore and sell yourself. You check yourself. You adopt and maintain your payment sources and mechanisms.
Work is fucked up? Your fault…
J M,
This is a brilliant, high-level piece of analysis. You've just perfectly described the other blade of the scissor.
My article focuses on what I'll call the "Frontline Front"—the W-2 gas station world, where the "unskilled" lie is used to turn us into a Human Shield to absorb customer rage.
You're describing the "Networked Front"—the 1099 gig economy (Amazon, Uber, etc.) where they impose "absolute control" and then weaponize our "independence" to make us absorb all the self-blame.
Your line, "Work is fucked up? Your fault..." is the perfect, devastating Truth Bullet for that entire prison.
This is a critical piece of the puzzle, and you've just inspired an entire follow-up article. I knew I was missing something. Thank you for this.
This is exactly the kind of strategic mind we're looking for.
Thank you. Your messages and narrative pieces inspired me.
Please let me know what you want to see more of, and which articles really resonated with you. This insight helps me make the best content.
Ok. I also liked the psycho-emotional dynamics in Rika’s story.
You should give her source material a shot. I have a link to the anime series from my private Google Drive if you are interested. It’s called Higurashi, & I truly cannot understate its importance in my day-to-day philosophy lately.
A Gear shops online…performs the work. You make a mistake checking out. Now, the Machine tRusty refuses to accept yr order…you scan for mistake and fix.
tRusty responds: Missed field=2-hour penalty
(Message? Your mistakes can and should be penalized. )
Work to the edge
Control to the center.
Shit rolls to the edge too.
Rust controls, punishes, degrades…as required.
Moving the work to the edge while maintaining closer-to-the-center control puts mistakes on the end-user. Have you ever gotten a message that says: ‘sorry for our shitty, confusing registration form/process. We’ll make it better right away!’ ???? Me neither.
Mistakes, ineptitude, penalties?All heaped on the hapless edge-of-the-network user.
For you, the control dynamics will become even fiercer over time driven by ever-more micro keystroke/electronic surveillance drivers. Also, serve as ‘you’re not good enough to do it right’ triggers.
Elaborate on this, I'm not sure I'm understanding it correctly.
I agree entirely with your analysis!
I enjoy your style!
Keep rebelling against our corporate masters and “they’re bought and paid for” politicians!
Vote for progressive candidates who will use power to tax billionaires and promote agendas that benefit ordinary Americans!
Truth bombs. 💣
Excellent!!!!
Once again Ethan, you have knocked it out of the park.
I really like how workers become punching bags. You are so correct on this.
Wow! Very clear. I understand only a little of what I learn on your site. I nibble a bit at a time, then ponder, digest, reflect, and (finally) respond. I take my time.
In short, I’ll be awhile catching up. In the meantime, please send a link to the Higurashi piece.
Going to sleep now.
Thank you!! Joan VT