[lbo-talk] Re: stupid americans?

[Carl Remick]

>From: Miles Jackson <cqmv at pdx.edu>
>
>On Mon, 27 Sep 2004, Carl Remick wrote:
>
> > This country doesn’t just tolerate mediocrity; it insists on it.  
>Mediocrity
> > is, of course, the iron law of capitalism – the drive to turn not just 
>every
> > item but every individual into a commodity, to ensure that no worker 
>(except
> > the uniquely talented "visionaries" at the top of the heap) is
> > irreplaceable.  But I think the US pursues the lowest common denominator
> > with a zest unequaled in any other capitalist society.
> >
> > Carl
>
>This underestimates the constructive and innovative effects of
>capitalism.  Let's face it: mediocrity across all positions in
>an organization = lower profits.  The capitalist system provides
>systematic incentives to do anything that increases profits
>(e.g., the elimination of textile factory jobs in the U. S.).
>If workers are mediocre, less surplus value can be extracted from
>them.  Capitalist organizations need knowledgeable, efficient
>workers...

Overpostal apologies, but I think capitalists' real instinct is to get 
profits that are predictable instead of just higher.  What bosses want are 
workers who are tractable, not workers who are brilliant or exceptionally 
skilled -- factors that make workers less easy to control and more 
demanding.  In my experience, capitalists zero in on whatever is creative, 
variable or interesting about any product or service and re-engineer it to 
get rid of that unstable element.  Capitalists are the greatest control 
freaks the world has ever known.

Mediocrity is, all in all, management's best friend.  It's said that 
imitation is the sincerest form of television, but this dynamic is true for 
every industry I can think of.  So long as you are doing *exactly* what 
every other company in your market is doing, no wiseass analyst or bitching 
shareholder has openings for serious protest.  The herd looks after itself.

As I said, the one place where brilliance is permitted (or supposed) to 
exist is at the top of the organization.  CEOs are recognized to be such 
stupendous, indispensable, fucking geniuses that there is no way you can 
EVER pay them too much.

Carl