----- Original Message ----- From: "// ravi" <ravi at platosbeard.org>
" What is required of the majority is both the level of technical skill to keep something working and the perseverance/discipline to do that without mental suffering and in a consistent and timely manner. Which is exactly what a high score at a sufficiently ranked institution predicts pretty well. And this is true and independent of changes fomented by “capitalism” (*)."
I don't really think they care about mental suffering so long as it doesn't affect your work. And if it does, you're gone.
"This is not about the kind of change many of us would like to see, such as organising workers or demanding ethical behaviour from the corporation, etc. I am talking about some of the kind of changes that are celebrated in business schools and in empty rhetoric from upper management. The stuff about disruption, innovation, best practices, etc., (example: “Agile methodologies”). It’s all bullshit and lip service."
Well, yeah. I've been working in hi tech since 1983. What I've noticed is that all the change comes from the startups. If they make it and get big enough (not that big) they buy change by buying other startups because they literally can no longer foster change. Example: I used to work with the guy who developed iTunes; Apple wasn't interested in his idea so he left the company and developed it on his own. Then, ahem, they hired him back. Now I work for the second largest computer company in the world, their R & D is simply their aquisition program.
"Joanna offer herself up as an example: she has aced every standardised test she has taken, and I will add, she graduated with an advanced degree from one of the most premier institutions in the world (IMHO, pretty much the #1). Yet, she says, she wants to blow everything up. But, the question is, does she? Or does she instead turn in acceptable or better work, on a consistent basis? I bet it’s the latter."
True that... as the only economic support of my family, I do work every day and try to do work that is good enough to warrant continued employment.
Joanna