Ode to Capitalist Dogs

Mergers, acquisitions,

Affiliations, integrations,

Assimilations, and a whole lot of flatulation. 

All done under the banner of improving efficiencies, 

outputs, outcomes, and whatever guise fits the situation.  

Some might be true.  

Some surely are not.

Alas, we are Capitalists, 

trained in the inherent spirit 

of expansion, growth, and 

Econ. 101 telling us that status quo is actually regression. 

Naive to believe 

otherwise. 

Naive to believe 

that the view is the same 

from wherever your seat is 

on the company bus. 

Best exemplified in this piece, modified from an ode on page 187 of Seeing Systems by Barry Oshry.  

======================

From the outside,

Integration is beautiful

From the inside,

it is warfare.

From the outside,

it is open-ended inquiry.

From the inside,

it is fixed and final truths.

From the outside

it is "Let us explore all of the possibilities for this system."

From the inside,

it is "Let us pursue my way, the right way, the only True Way.

From the outside,

all possibilities seem worth exploring.

From the inside,

your possibility threatens the validity of my possibility.

From the outside,

there is an inevitability and beauty in our integrations.

From the inside,

there is pain and loss ---

separation and alienation,

the dissolution of partnerships,

costly reorganizations,

abuse and oppression,

cultural conflicts. 

Are you telling me that the Truth is

one way

or the other?

Expand or stand pat?

Black or white?

Fast or slow?

Your terrain or mine?

Now or later?

Hit 'em hard or be reasonable?

Your type or mine?

Such Truth exists on the inside.

From the outside

it's all inquiry. 

======================

Sadly funny to think of the number of "insiders" who think like "outsiders".

Piece of dogly advice for the brilliant minds pulling together these business relationships:  

Put down the financial statements and peruse Oshry’s book.  

If you think it’s BS, you’re a good capitalist whose expansion/exploitation will fare well for your pockets and either dis-integrate in the short-term or find a place on the re-sale market.  

If you believe at least some of it, and you practice some of it, there’s hope for your relationship to achieve long-term success. 

One way or the other, you'll probably do okay, but can you say the same for that hourly worker who trusts you to lead their livelihood?   

Not guilt... truth.