Uncaring

It’s in my nature to care about my work. I always want to at least try to do my best in everything I do; I want to be proud of my work and satisfied with my efforts. I imagine most people are the same way.

Yet I know many of you are like me: reduced to apathetic zombies, churning out inferior products for people who don’t give a damn. The reason is simple: if your superiors don’t give a damn, neither can you. You can certainly try, and you will succeed – or appear to succeed – for a time, but inevitably your efforts are in vain and your cute little snowman gets knocked over by the big kids.

This brings me to the beginning of my little story, where I started building the coolest snowman on the block.

I was hired to do a job, and do that job I did. I did it well, even. All was right with the universe. But problems began to surface as I worked along, oblivious to the fate that awaited me. These problems were trivial at first; mere hurdles, easily overcome. I began to communicate with my employers about these issues, however, as they grew larger and more complicated, effecting my work directly. The Man was cool; all were agreed that solutions were in order.

Nothing happened. Are you surprised? I was, at least at first. The trend continued: more problems reared their ugly heads, some of them the same as before. I began to understand this mass of difficulty before me was of the hydra variety; cut off one head, the body lives and grows. In my vast ignorance and boundless optimism, I gathered my arsenal and went straight for the body, determined to destroy this fell beast once and for all.

Epic. Fail.

As I fought my little battle, I began to realize the very tools I used to fight it were turning against me; indeed, aiding the enemy!

Communication was the problem. The paradox of the situation is likely all to familiar to anyone reading. How do you fix broken communication when good communication is required to do so? How will honesty fair against dishonesty? How can you effect understanding in those who refuse to understand, or even listen?

You get the idea. There are problems within the organization that directly effect my ability to do quality work, deliver on promises to customers, and otherwise do my job well. Because I cared about my work and the overall success of the organization, I did my very best to fix these problems; analyzing, communicating, asking, listening, offering solutions. I had a team to work with, and we were all in the same boat.

Alas, to no good end. They are gone; only I remain. The Beast is larger and more powerful than ever before, and I am helpless before it. I can only hide in my cave each day, mashing my little peon keys with my little peon fingers, and return home – desolate, weary, and uncaring.