We need misfits.
Without dissent, you end up here.
“Here”?
“Here” is the internet gone off the rails with cults.
“Here” is 24/7 non-consensual surveillance.
“Here” is siloed disciplines so nobody saw the consequences of giving the brains-trust-known-as-marketers unfettered access to psychologically manipulative tools with zero awareness or accountability… and yet inexplicably thinking they know best, because a University exchanged 50 grand for a Cert IV and called it a degree.
“Here” is rooms of engineers, doing ‘cool shit’, with nobody in the room to object.
And, if (like me) you tried, they patted us on the head and said “we got this, sweetie”.
Obviously.
From where I sit, it looks like you’re kinda out of your depth.
“Here” is an echo chamber of US Ivy Leaguers, handed the keys to every castle on the planet, and nobody in the room to object, with all of the institutional power backing every bone-headed idea, and telling everyone else how the world works, how we need to work harder and Lean In and maybe – just maybe – we won’t destroy you for defying us.
“Here” is rooms of rich men called Peter and John with no idea their worldview is not the default, or even accurate, whilst the negative impacts ‘trickle down’ and literally nothing else does.
“Here” is, when under scrutiny, Peter and John sneakily replacing the rich Ivy League men with other rich Ivy Leaguers-slightly-less-white-and-male, hoping the proles wouldn’t notice that it is business as usual, just now we can longer complain about it or be branded a goddamn TERF.
And, hoo boy, are Peter and John’s mates also incensed by that tiny amount of progress.
Cancel Culture!! WOKISM!
Try Leaning In or a gratitude journal, fellas.
“Here”, if we don’t change course -quickly- is the inevitability of some pretty bad stuff.
Yes. Even worse.
The bad stuff is something misfits tend to warn about, whilst non-misfits believe history and gravity are things you can engineer and market your way out of.
Like the engineers and marketers who are in way over their heads.
Like the engineers and marketers who ignored everyone who objected.
Like the engineers and marketers who are now in charge of deciding what gets heard and who’s a misfit.
Given they’re so smart, they obviously know that dissent is an important part of a functioning society, because engineers and marketers tend to have blind spots and groupthink can go off the rails.
TL;DR – Bad ideas travel when there’s nobody to object. Bad shit happens without dissent. Especially when it’s engineers, a profit motive and a bunch of dimwit marketers to sell it.
You might think people like me are a problem, but it is my JOB to be a boil on the arse of everyone in my industry. Because you writing people like me off is how we got here.
If you don’t see this, YOU need me more than anyone.
I tried it your way. And, sorry, my guy, but we ended up here.
So maybe, just maybe, the misfits have a point.
Now pay me for a consult, jerkface.