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November 14, 2005
Ownership
I have, in the past, been unconvinced that people had a personal responsibility when it came to what job they choose to do. I wasn't sure one way or the other. The obvious example being whether the executioner has a responsibility to refuse to do his job in that it is amoral, doesn't overly compel me as valid or bunk. I've recently changed my mind on this based on two phenomena.
For the first, I'll provide a bit of backstory. I work across the street from the US Government Federal Buildings in Oakland. Entities in these buildings have fleets of cars that they use to do whatever it is they do. Most days when I arrive at work later than 8, and park in the parking garage, I'll see, just on my walk to the elevator at least 2 or 3 people, in these government cars, in the parking garage, parked, with the engine running, listening to music. At first I thought this was some kind of fluke, but it's fairly consistent. As far as I can tell, these people are hanging out in running cars in a garage because they can and it means they don't have to work. The gas doesn't cost them anything.
The second is that I often see, as you probably do too, people with the gasoline engine backpack and the blower, blowing leaves around some massive corporate landscape project. It seems every corporate office park has this these days, and downtown Oakland is no exception.
I guess my thoughts are that when one ends up in these types of situations, where this is part of what one does every day, that there has to be a point where the individual stops and says, "This is wrong. I'm not going to do it anymore." I guess the part where it gets tough is the line where this is appropriate, since we all, well no, many of us, exist on this gradient, I mean I do. What I do is wrong, I feel just less so in degree.
Posted by gene_wood at 09:20 AM | Comments (6)
November 10, 2005
A Clear Message?
Apparently many things send a clear message. Voters do. Bloggers do. Seems like the terrorists sure don't. Who else does or does not send a clear message?.Posted by gene_wood at 08:51 AM | Comments (5)