Striving Simians

There is an art to being a great leader
We rightfully celebrate those few examples that we have
Many books and tomes have been written

There is also an art to being a bad leader
These last proliferated throughout history
Indeed, bad seeds are plainly in the majority

Still, despite the appeal of cautionary tales,
Far fewer tales are told about bad leaders
Heroes over zeroes, humanity prefers redemption stories

Ever the optimists, we celebrate triumphs rather than failure
Perverse incentives carried over from our antecedents in the savanna
The pathology of groups outlined in crass social behavior
Paradoxically, we reward bad leaders in equal measure as good leaders

Some contend it's even worse in the modern corporation
Namely, that we reward bad managers out of routine dysfunction
Call it the Peter Principle or what have you, they tend to fail upwards
Borne on the deep seated human need to be appreciated

Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop
The fear of being shunned
To be laughed at for being mistaken or ridiculous
The importance of grooming, the appeal of approval ratings
Fragility, we accommodate rogues for fear of shame
Ignorance is bliss, we blindly obey the rules
And stay quiet, lest our competence be impugned

The banality and burden of following the orders
The ever looming specter of the conqueror
Striving simians we are, not far removed from the savanna

Monkey dey work, a playlist

A soundtrack for this note, from afrobeat to blues by way of jazz funk. spotify version)

• Monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop by Captain Planet
• Monkey by George Michael
• Monkey dey work by Dj Stereo
• Signifying Monkey by Oscar Brown, Jr.
• Monkey and Baboon by Dr John
• Lord of the Golden Baboon by Mandrill
• Baboon Strength by Charlie Hunter
• Monkey dey work by Wisdom
• Mandrill by Mandrill
• Ape is High by Mandrill

See previously: Restructuring Activities

File under: groups, communities, pathology, social, culture, observation, perception, capitalism, office, job, work, Observers are worried, Buyer's Remorse, poetry, toli

Writing log. April 22, 2022