Government workers survive only through an ironic fault of our species, in that we only demand competency in the most inconsequential aspects of our lives. Put up a headline declaring criminal misuse of our tax dollars and we’ll shake our heads with a knowing, rueful smile; deliver our pizzas fifteen minutes late and we’re making long distance calls to Papa John’s head office to issue the sort of threats that’d make Charles Bronson look at us awkwardly.
--Jay Pinkerton
Is this behaviour exclusive to Canadians, or is it more universal? In my second ever entry into this journal, I scribbled a couple of lines about Canada's last federal election, and how we love to stick it to ourselves over and over again. Now, after reading Jay's article about waiting in line in a government office, and nodding to myself the whole time, I have to wonder: are we all saps, or just the Canadians among us?
Monday, November 29, 2004
Futility thy name is civil service
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3 comments:
Are you kidding? Have you not read So Long and Thanks for All the Fish? James Thurber's A Ride With Olympy? Catch-22? Bureaucracy and governmental inconvenience of all sorts are endemic.
Pretty much exactly 18 years ago, I was amazed while standing in a tube station in London (or was it a railway station?) to hear a public announcement of an apology for the inconvenience of a train running late. It struck me that in the U.S., it wouldn't occur to anyone to even apologize. It was just assumed that lateness and inconvenience were probably in the offing in a wide variety of situations.
About ten years after that, I stood in the office of the Motor Vehicle Department building on the east side of Tucson, and decided I didn't want to hang around another 40 minutes for my number to come up. Having just been paid, I put my registration fee--in cash--in an envelope and put it in the drop box. Two months later, I was talking a prosecutor into dropping the charge against me for not having registered my vehicle. Someone had pocketed the money and not renewed the registration. It wasn't until 2004 that a major crackdown at the MVD revealed that mine was not an isolated incident.
Once again, I can see that I have a journal entry to write tonight. Thanks. - Karen
Might as well go for a soda.... Sheila
In my ten plus years as a state employee, I've come to see just what kind of special breed it takes to do such a job... Now, I want to quit my job more then ever. Though I don't service people directly, the salmon that I protect do support a fishery. The problem I have is that I've been black listed by my 'peers' for trying to make a difference and have been given the cold shoulder by almost the entire gang here. It's more like a commune then a community and accountability is done in a hush hush manner, if at all. I've caught these people with their pants down more then once but only have dug myself into a BIG hole... Whistle blowers seems to be what's next...or just quit! There's a lot at stake for me and my kids though.
btw-no appology needed but the disassociation of me from those you wrote about was GREATLY appreciated... I DO NOT LIKE THEM! I've always liked you on board though, as I've always said, "Better a Smartass then a Dumbass!"
Scott
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