The "Deselection" Process

Obviously, the economic downturn has touched just about everyone in some way, shape, or form; in many cases, most drastically with the loss of a job or reduction in hours worked. A friend and I were recently talking about the fundamental “unfairness” of being left go by an employer, and the accompanying loss of self-esteem and fear that can come with it.

We noted that in such a cut-throat economy, people would resort to whatever means necessary to keep their job (and by extension, their livelihood, their self-esteem, their status, and potentially, their family) – and the anger that comes with being left go when it’s not your fault.



Ok, bad example.



Not really appropriate, either, as I’m not sure if he works. But then again, the pic is nice and we don’t care.



Seriously, can you believe these people are still employed?( At 25K an episode, no less.) Is “Douchebag” a monster.com search category now?

A few days ago, on Facebook, I noticed that even in “Internet-Land” – and even in this crappy economy where more people than ever are in the same boat – there is a slight reluctance to say the words “laid off”. Several friends have the status of “Spending more time with my puppy” or “The next two days will be rough; not sure what I’m going to do” or “Glad I bought that grill set”. One theory that sort of makes sense is that “laid off” still has a negative connotation, and that in an effort to put a best foot forward on a social networking site, people try to emphasize what’s still right. (Sort of a “high school reunion” gameface.)

One friend who works in corporate America has noted that the phrase du jour is “deselected” – as in “Frank survived the deselection process.”

As you may have read, earlier this year, the Mistress hit this bump – and while things have corrected themselves and are fine now, the feelings of initial shock, panic, and uncertainty that everything might not turn out fine, are vividly remembered. Every little shock like this, in each household, across the country, puts a little more doubt in our embedded concept of “The American Dream”. Much of my day is spent in a human services type of role – and so I have a real gnawing feeling that the critics who say this is a “fundamental realignment of the world economy” are absolutely correct. The need for various jobs – and locations of said jobs – and pay scales of said jobs – will and are changing. Further, the role of government – having to do more with less tax revenue, while still attempting to “stimulate” to the degree that it can – is changing as well.

But then again, there’s always this. Discuss amongst yourselves.



The Boy Toy