Accepted Social Standards

I have always been the type of person to question the social standards we apply in our daily lives. Some are silly and some are fundamental to how we operate / cooperate.

One example is my question about why we hold a fork upside down when using it to scoop (like a spoon) up food is much more effective.

Another is why you shouldn't call a spade a spade when having a heated discussion with someone in a meeting at work who is obviously screwing with the system. Why soften everything to the point of muteness.

I get so frustrated in meetings when people cover up on lack of progress in front of management. It really pisses me off no end. I often feel the need to just climb over the table and wind him one when I know that he is a lying bastard. (I suppose the question I need to ask is what if I am wrong.)

But lets for the purpose of this exercise assume that the offending person in question is wrong. What is the problem just smacking him upside the head even if only with words?

I think, unfortunately, that a larger portion of those in the meeting are complicit with the truth bending as their arses on are on the line.

But as with everything else, the truth will out. For those collaborators of deceit, the truth is often as a post project analysis and generally is quickly covered up and toothless - "well we tried but the business did not cooperate" and all the other excuses you can imagine.

My experience is that the rot sets in at the executive level and filters down... "That deadline must be met or else."

Funny beings we are... What is wrong with doing the right thing? Possibly because most of these people believe that their job is genuinely on the line. Funnily (or perversely) enough the most memorable of the buggers usually find themselves promoted - mainly because their management only remember their names and not because of their misdemeanours.

Scary, but true.