outrage

 This isn't aimed at anybody in particular.

I was recently seconded to deliver some contract training for a client.

What struck me was how unwilling the people at the session were. They seemed to indicate by all kinds of means what a waste of their 'precious time' they thought the whole thing was. Slumped at a poorly situated table, staring glassy-eyed at me as if to say "go on then, let's get this fucking thing over and done with."

Of course, this isn't the best way to get the best out of me. If I think you're worth it, I'll throw myself under a bus for you. However, if I don't think your worth much, I'll quickly throw you under the bus and move on.

What struck me about these poor folk, were how numb they were intellectually. The ones who were firing on all cylinders were totally engaged from moment one, and appreciated the input.

One of them - clearly qualified in his field - almost goaded me to turn on the magic. Another - clearly very frustrated with the "idiots" he'd wound up working with couldn't wait to give his polite excuses and run away to do some real work. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on me from start to finish.

Anyway the whole day proceeded in the usual way. Power struggles showed forth as people brought their boardroom nonsense onto the floor for wider entertainment.
They introduced themselves as head of this, or that - I didn't care. They were filled with fear and loathing throughout. One guy who'd been with the company more than 15 years sounded scared out of his wits, as if he feared being canned at any moment.

I swear some of them thought I'd been sent to spy them out and report back to the owners I'd never actually met.

I just kept reminding myself that due to this few hours of hardship I'd be able to take one of the kids abroad on holiday just from the fee I was to receive.

When they returned from lunch the stale aroma of cigarette smoke and booze filled the room. They were checked out, long ago. The ones I'd captivated would forever be - the ones who'd never opened to the possibility of some sort of new thought never would.

It was similar to a classroom - apart from they were mostly too old, too set and too convinced of their own efficacy to want anything I had to offer them.

Sad for them. I don't give a fuck. There's people like that all over the planet. If that's what working for a living does to you, you can keep it.