A few years back I read a story by Joseph Findler in which he wrote, “Never let an asshole rent space in your head.” I’ve taken that statement as a bit of a mantra and realized that it does, in a way, explain all of the world’s businesses. Here’s my theory: People are ultimately insecure and a large number mask that insecurity with power. Steve Jobs had that problem. Though we tend to point to the wonderful company he built and his heroic cancer battle, the man was widely considered to be an ass. He isn’t alone. The medical industry is one peppered with individuals looking to make a quick buck, often at the expense of employees who are so cowed by these bosses that they are willing to accept less than acceptable behaviors in order to remain in the good graces of said bosses.
Politics lives by this mantra. Politicians are trying to do two things: get the people to vote for them and climb so deep into an opponents head that they either loose their cool or loose their ability to perform adequately. Corps and politics are very similar, which is what led to the quote. If you can understand the principle that these people in power over you are trying to rent space in your head, you are already ahead of the game.
I started thinking about this while reading non-fiction about the corporate world and listening to news reports about Putin. There is a guy who is clearly compensating with power.
Some Thoughts:
- As the FB season nears, the Giants are looking great. The Jets are not. All is normal with the world.
- Watching Clear History, the new Larry David film. No verdict yet.