Professional Darwinism: Update to OP on p.74

[nutraxfornerves]

Aide to Sacramento mayor resigns after inquiry into credit card purchases

Using an official city credit card to fund your trip to Disneyland is probably not a good idea.

[Elfmama]

I have learned from experience that the most childish people I have ever worked with have been in their 40's - 60's. Stomping feet, extremely loud audible sighing, screaming, threatening to quit, and manipulative crying. One of the reasons I am studying psychology!

You are seeing the first fruits of the Baby Boom "permissive parenting". Never tell your child "No"  or discipline him in any way on anything whatsoever, because it will warp their little psyches. And as for spanking, HORRORS!!!  This style of parenting will let their Natural Goodness come to the fore.

I am a Baby Boomer.  I was not raised like that, but plenty of my classmates and their siblings were.  One neighbor boy would hold his breath until he passed out if Mommy tried to discipline him, so he got and did whatever he wanted. Another was a perfect angel child, according to Mommy.  If we said that he was throwing rocks at us and stole the ladder to the storage space over the carport while we were playing up there, we were just lying to try to get him into trouble.

[s]

Two employees calling each other names- including one that means "female of the genus Canis"- is certainly NOT very professional.

Neither is stealing each other's chairs, or moving stools around so that the other one cannot find it.

Really?  Seriously?  Are you sure they're not 10?

Nope- they are both in their early 60s. And causing a power struggle with the late 40's boss. And treating the 30-something other employee like a young child.

And it is not even due to a past feud or grudge- the two arguing ones had never even worked together before! They just want to be in control of everything.

I have learned from experience that the most childish people I have ever worked with have been in their 40's - 60's. Stomping feet, extremely loud audible sighing, screaming, threatening to quit, and manipulative crying. One of the reasons I am studying psychology!

Well then that totally explains my co-worker!

[RegionMom]

(snip) One neighbor boy would hold his breath until he passed out if Mommy tried to discipline him, so he got and did whatever he wanted. (snip)

See, although I have never witnessed this, I have heard that once the child does pass out, they will start breathing again, unconsciously.  So, I would not be bothered by it at all!

I am also "mean" enough in my preschool classrooms that I tell fit-pitching preschoolers, "it is ok to pitch a fit, will not change MY mind.  However, you have to pitch a fit standing up, in that one special corner, with no toys in your hand.  Go for it!"

And when they see that I really am not bothered by it, and I stick to my rules, and welcome them back with open arms when they choose to participate as a fellow classmate, all is well.  I have taught preschoolers for over 17 years, and while some kids may have been raised a brat in their few short years before I get them, they are NOT a brat in my classroom. 
 
Sadly, it is mostly the parents I actually have to "train."  (If you come late, your child is not allowed to eat breakfast at the table while we conduct group/calendar/interactive time.  Feed them outside of the classroom.  No, you may not have your child bring his favorite monster truck toy/noisemaker/movie figurine into the kindergarten prep program that is all academic and only two hours long.  It is very tempting and distracting to your child and others. I will not be able to help your three year old with their actual toileting.  Part of this prep program was that you signed off that your child is completely toilet trained. I will check and help wash and dry hands, but that is all I am allowed to do. Your child is allowed one library book at a time, and it must be returned before checking out another one.  This is training for bringing items back and forth in a backpack at 'real' school in the fall and we even provide a special bag for you!  I really do not care that you "pay so much money for this program and it is just one silly little book" and that you will "will just donate 10 books at the end of summer. Geesh!"  You are missing the point of teaching your child responsibility.)

Yes, I am teaching a twice a week prep program this summer, only two hours a day for great pay and I am having FUN!!

I even get hugs from the kids, imagine that!  Yet the parents sometimes try to brush me off...

(oh, my bosses totally have my back.  They have even asked me for advice, since they mostly deal with school aged kids.  Although they have to recruit and make the parents somewhat happy, they do know where to draw the line.  This job is at a tutoring center.)

[Elfmama]

(snip) One neighbor boy would hold his breath until he passed out if Mommy tried to discipline him, so he got and did whatever he wanted. (snip)

See, although I have never witnessed this, I have heard that once the child does pass out, they will start breathing again, unconsciously.  So, I would not be bothered by it at all!

My mother pointed this out to NB's mother, but she thought that he would die/give himself brain damage, so when he did this she would panic and hyperventilate and work his older sisters into hysteria also, then pick him up and run screaming over to whichever neighbor she thought would help.

Funny, she only came to my mother once... 

[Sirius]

My previous boss used to tell us that he was going to work out of our other office location for the day. And then never show up. Because, I mean, it's not like we never talked to them or anything.  His favorite phrase, when someone was calling him up to ask about the status of a task, was "I was just about to do that." As far as I could tell "just about to do that" was his personal code for "have a two hour fight on the phone with my girlfriend." He also made vague physical threats about several of our coworkers.

He finally got fired for failing to come through on several deliverables that he had been tasked with.

I hate to celebrate the misery of others, but we bought cupcakes to celebrate that day. And I didn't feel bad at all. He'd brought it all onto himself.

This is like when a doctor who had been a thorn in my and my boss' side for the better part of ten years retired.  We were both thrilled.

(However, because I now work for an independent transcription contractor, I've had the thought in the back of my mind that we might someday get a contract from his new office and I'd end up transcribing his work again.  It's enough to give me nightmares.)

[greencat]

Two employees calling each other names- including one that means "female of the genus Canis"- is certainly NOT very professional.

Neither is stealing each other's chairs, or moving stools around so that the other one cannot find it.

Really?  Seriously?  Are you sure they're not 10?

Nope- they are both in their early 60s. And causing a power struggle with the late 40's boss. And treating the 30-something other employee like a young child.

And it is not even due to a past feud or grudge- the two arguing ones had never even worked together before! They just want to be in control of everything.

I have learned from experience that the most childish people I have ever worked with have been in their 40's - 60's. Stomping feet, extremely loud audible sighing, screaming, threatening to quit, and manipulative crying. One of the reasons I am studying psychology!

Well then that totally explains my co-worker!

And many of the men in this age bracket that hit on me...and if they're a baby boomer, I am definitely young enough to be their daughter or possibly even their granddaughter! 

[PeterM]

http://www.wnem.com/story/19095095/navy-sub-worker-set-fire-so-he-could-leave-early

I know people like to get out of work early for various reasons but this guy's reason..... *rolls eyes*

He's facing possible life in prison. The scary thing is a truly annoyed prosecutor could probably build a case for treason, which as far as I know still carries the death penalty. So it wouldn't just be professional darwinism.

[PeterM]

(snip) One neighbor boy would hold his breath until he passed out if Mommy tried to discipline him, so he got and did whatever he wanted. (snip)

See, although I have never witnessed this, I have heard that once the child does pass out, they will start breathing again, unconsciously.  So, I would not be bothered by it at all!

My grandparents were briefly the foster parents for a truly disturbed and damaged young boy. He would hold his breath when he didn't get what he wanted, and my mom says they didn't worry too much because yeah, you'll eventually start breathing again one way or another. It was when he beat his head against the wall that they freaked out.

[rashea]

http://www.wnem.com/story/19095095/navy-sub-worker-set-fire-so-he-could-leave-early

I know people like to get out of work early for various reasons but this guy's reason..... *rolls eyes*

He's facing possible life in prison. The scary thing is a truly annoyed prosecutor could probably build a case for treason, which as far as I know still carries the death penalty. So it wouldn't just be professional darwinism.

Frankly, if you set a fire to a nuclear sub, not once, but twice, then I hope it is darwinism, by life in prison if not the death penalty.

[Lorelei_Evil]

Big POD.  He put a lot of people in danger due to his selfishness. 

[Piratelvr1121]

Finally made it through all of these.
See that someone a few pages back commented on the School Supervisor PD both her job and her private life. 

Two of my stories of PD and one almost PD:
#1 My sophomore year in college I took a general level social studies class.  We first met in a small lecture hall.  The teacher was a gentleman from the Middle East (this is important to the story).  The first day of class, he told us that he was NOT from Iran but from Persia.  Um, okay-doky. He handed out the syllabus and talked about the class expectations.  He spoke English well enough, but his accent was quite thick and several freshmen dropped after 2 weeks. 
The second day of class (again reminding us that he was Persian  ), he suddenly walked up to the only black student in the class and asked him what the percentage of blacks were in Iowa. (school in Iowa)  Dude didn't know,nor did he really care.  The teacher went a little bit off on him.  By week 4 we were in a regular sized classroom since we had so many drop. 
Halfway through the semster, the teacher decided that each of us had to do three 5-10 minute presentations about news articles and how they related to society.  Which, oddly, was never mentioned in the syllabus and didn't give enough time for all of us to do all of them, if he was to also lecture since it was only a 60 minute class.  Two weeks later, teacher started a chapter in the book about women's rights.  He made some terrible comment about women being stupid and only good for breeding.  I snorted outloud.  The black student (why he stayed I don't know) turned toward me as the teacher turned away and gave me a thumbs up. 
Teacher (refused to call him a professor) got MANY complaints against him in that semester by our class and one other.  Didn't see his name ever again on later class lists for that department.
<snip>

Was this the college with yellow and black school colors?

No.  Purple and Gold.  (It's sometimes forgotten by the rest of the state because of the two other universities.)  But I am guessing that something like this has happened at other schools.

Well, at least you don't have a bird as a mascot.

I like Herky!! (and I'm not even an Iowan!)

[VorFemme]

http://www.wnem.com/story/19095095/navy-sub-worker-set-fire-so-he-could-leave-early

I know people like to get out of work early for various reasons but this guy's reason..... *rolls eyes*

He's facing possible life in prison. The scary thing is a truly annoyed prosecutor could probably build a case for treason, which as far as I know still carries the death penalty. So it wouldn't just be professional Darwinism.

Frankly, if you set a fire to a nuclear sub, not once, but twice, then I hope it is Darwinism, by life in prison if not the death penalty.

Seriously, setting fire to anything to have an excuse to go home early?

Forget "high school" - the guy has retreated mentally to elementary school, possibly even pre-school. 

I suppose he could spend the rest of his life in a mental institution, if not prison.  He has demonstrated that he is a danger to himself and others due to his "mental illness".

Snarky and Evil are really, really upset.  Military spouse and former military - they were really leaning to defenestration when they remembered that submarines don't have windows in "the tower".  Although tossing him out at a quarter of a mile under sea level would qualify for the Darwin Award...they really like to use the word defenestration.

They are still very upset - but are going to get over it by discussing other options.  The penalty in The Man Without A Country also appeals to them - with the more modern option of confining him in a submarine instead of a ship.  They really don't like the guy's attitude.

[ShanghaiJill]

Finally made it through all of these.
See that someone a few pages back commented on the School Supervisor PD both her job and her private life. 

Two of my stories of PD and one almost PD:
#1 My sophomore year in college I took a general level social studies class.  We first met in a small lecture hall.  The teacher was a gentleman from the Middle East (this is important to the story).  The first day of class, he told us that he was NOT from Iran but from Persia.  Um, okay-doky. He handed out the syllabus and talked about the class expectations.  He spoke English well enough, but his accent was quite thick and several freshmen dropped after 2 weeks. 
The second day of class (again reminding us that he was Persian  ), he suddenly walked up to the only black student in the class and asked him what the percentage of blacks were in Iowa. (school in Iowa)  Dude didn't know,nor did he really care.  The teacher went a little bit off on him.  By week 4 we were in a regular sized classroom since we had so many drop. 
Halfway through the semster, the teacher decided that each of us had to do three 5-10 minute presentations about news articles and how they related to society.  Which, oddly, was never mentioned in the syllabus and didn't give enough time for all of us to do all of them, if he was to also lecture since it was only a 60 minute class.  Two weeks later, teacher started a chapter in the book about women's rights.  He made some terrible comment about women being stupid and only good for breeding.  I snorted outloud.  The black student (why he stayed I don't know) turned toward me as the teacher turned away and gave me a thumbs up. 
Teacher (refused to call him a professor) got MANY complaints against him in that semester by our class and one other.  Didn't see his name ever again on later class lists for that department.
<snip>

Was this the college with yellow and black school colors?

No.  Purple and Gold.  (It's sometimes forgotten by the rest of the state because of the two other universities.)  But I am guessing that something like this has happened at other schools.

Well, at least you don't have a bird as a mascot.

I like Herky!! (and I'm not even an Iowan!)

I like Herky so much I had a baby on his premises.   

[RoseRose]

I just had a case of professional darwinism from a coworker I actually liked.  She IS very young, but that doesn't excuse the stupidity, unless she was trying to get fired.  That is a possibility as she has been more and more dissatisfied with her job, so she may have been trying to get fired so she could get unemployment while looking for a new job and not having to work this one... but otherwise, way too stupid.

I work at a call center, and we handle confidential information.  Not everything we handle is, and very, very little is financial, but we have security rules.  One of those is no phones/devices out on the call floor.  Especially NO pictures at all.  Well, this girl took a picture with her phone, and then posted it on Facebook.  By the way, she has coworkers as friends on Facebook.  Taking pictures is an automatic firing, no warning.  We'd loose our contract for the call center if it wasn't.  So... Facebook strikes again.