It’s a bureaucracy. It’s a fundemental assumption of bureaucracy that everyone is trying to climb the ladder. This is why when you get asked where you see yourself in five years and you say “Probably doing the same job because I like it”, it counts against you, even though they need someone to be doing the job, and you’d think they’d want it to be someone who knows it.
At the government department where I used to work, Senior Management once had this rush of blood to the head and decided that they were going to purge all the line managers who were happy to remain at their current level (including one who was *very* good at his job). The union took them to arbitration, where it was pointed out that, no, they weren’t allowed to do that. Being constantly hungry for promotion makes one so wonderfully manipulable by Management.
Professor Laurence Peter (“The Peter Principle”) devoted a chapter to what he called “creative incompetence,” the fine art of being competent at your actual job but making yourself un-promotable by demonstrating incompetence at some part of the upward mobility tournament. The goal of this was to avoid being promoted into a job you couldn’t do, the dreaded “level of incompetence” that most people in a hierarchy eventually rise to.
I practiced this during my 26 years in telecom R&D, particularly at Bell Labs (where it was assumed everyone was trying to get promoted). I liked technical work, I was good at it, so I did things like coming into work in kilts to signal I just wasn’t Management Material. It worked pretty well—I had a job I liked, a boss who took good care of me (in part because he was dependent on me), and I really loved the look of terror in the eyes of management when they realized they could not “motivate” me with by offering (or refusing to offer) promotions.
I too am so impressed with the nuances incorporated into the artwork which make it so believable, like the extended pinky in panel 2 and the hourglass logo of Precambrian Defense.
It would be ironic if “Chris” found his true calling in PD!
The Bureau of Pre-Cambrian Defense wants Tip a. k. a. Chris, in a sense. Be it past, be it future, looks like he will smooch her. It’s sure to be in present tense.
I’m not sure that Tip is using a silly method. He resolved an issue peaceably, prevented waste of money and life, and the manager offered him a position over drinks. Out all of them in suits and it’s positively boring
His method on its own isn’t silly, per se. But he was only trying to save the cephalosaur. With a sandwich. The fact that he ended up with the girl and a promotion is what makes it silly.
Also, the comic, as always, is very, very worthy. If it were not, I would not be here. Shaenon, Jeff, and fellow Skin Horse fans, thanks for all the fish.
The Robert Morse school of seduction.
Making it by making it.
The next goal is reached…
The lady makes a compelling argument. But how could she know a “step up in clearance” would be near and dear to Mr. Sander’s heart?
Oh, wait. “Time. Portal.”
By that logic, Tip’s cover is retroactively blown.
It’s a bureaucracy. It’s a fundemental assumption of bureaucracy that everyone is trying to climb the ladder. This is why when you get asked where you see yourself in five years and you say “Probably doing the same job because I like it”, it counts against you, even though they need someone to be doing the job, and you’d think they’d want it to be someone who knows it.
Er … for example.
At the government department where I used to work, Senior Management once had this rush of blood to the head and decided that they were going to purge all the line managers who were happy to remain at their current level (including one who was *very* good at his job). The union took them to arbitration, where it was pointed out that, no, they weren’t allowed to do that. Being constantly hungry for promotion makes one so wonderfully manipulable by Management.
Professor Laurence Peter (“The Peter Principle”) devoted a chapter to what he called “creative incompetence,” the fine art of being competent at your actual job but making yourself un-promotable by demonstrating incompetence at some part of the upward mobility tournament. The goal of this was to avoid being promoted into a job you couldn’t do, the dreaded “level of incompetence” that most people in a hierarchy eventually rise to.
I practiced this during my 26 years in telecom R&D, particularly at Bell Labs (where it was assumed everyone was trying to get promoted). I liked technical work, I was good at it, so I did things like coming into work in kilts to signal I just wasn’t Management Material. It worked pretty well—I had a job I liked, a boss who took good care of me (in part because he was dependent on me), and I really loved the look of terror in the eyes of management when they realized they could not “motivate” me with by offering (or refusing to offer) promotions.
Aha! Sweetheart appears to have a second superpower in addition to bureaucracy!
Or she could just say that every five minutes. I mean, it’s not like she’d ever be wrong.
But that is buereaucracy
Her Too Silly sense is even stronger than Monty Python’s Colonel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ANufwUPFm8 This fellow?
Yes. That was excessively nerdy, I guess. 🙂
“I memorized “Holy Grail” really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL” – Weird Al, ‘White and Nerdy’
And I thought switching to Dvorak was tricky…
oh my god it’s working!
At least, in the heat of…whatever…Tip remembered he’s supposed to be Chris.
This is just glorious!
I too am so impressed with the nuances incorporated into the artwork which make it so believable, like the extended pinky in panel 2 and the hourglass logo of Precambrian Defense.
It would be ironic if “Chris” found his true calling in PD!
Soon Sweetheart will discover that her own mojo summons a British colonel’s uniform and transports her directly to the silliness.
No! No! Too silly.
Oh, yeah. It’s “Dr.” Sanders.
I sense a disturbance in the silly … I fear something really sillly has happened.
The Bureau of Pre-Cambrian Defense wants Tip a. k. a. Chris, in a sense. Be it past, be it future, looks like he will smooch her. It’s sure to be in present tense.
I’m not sure that Tip is using a silly method. He resolved an issue peaceably, prevented waste of money and life, and the manager offered him a position over drinks. Out all of them in suits and it’s positively boring
His method on its own isn’t silly, per se. But he was only trying to save the cephalosaur. With a sandwich. The fact that he ended up with the girl and a promotion is what makes it silly.
Terrorizing manglement! What a fine hobby, here are 5 Internet Points towards your next Cookie.
Silliness, indeed. I laughed out loud at this one.
This entire comment thread is worthy.
Also, the comic, as always, is very, very worthy. If it were not, I would not be here. Shaenon, Jeff, and fellow Skin Horse fans, thanks for all the fish.