It seems that no matter where you go, there’s always some asshole that wants to pee on your cornflakes. Sometimes it’s the “bank error” that can’t be corrected. Other times it’s the “oh, we’re going with Johnny ‘cuz he’s the CEO’s nephew.” But it never ceases to amaze me: assholes flock together.
A more recent example: There’s a guy I don’t care for. His company always finds a unique and special way to screw over a bunch of good people. Then I noticed that there’s a couple other guys in the same office that are equally asshole-ish. Or is it assholesque?
What’s interesting to me is that as an outsider to the company, there’s a little faction building amongst the assholes. One end of the company despises them, but those guys continue to stick together and protect each other. It’s the weirdest thing.
Meanwhile, just now (literally) I was helping to set up a location for a video shoot. I walked in to find a club owner and bartender who had NO clue that the crew was coming in today. Apparently the bar manager didn’t communicate with someone who forgot to tell the owner. Anyway, I talked to the owner and connected a few dots with folks we both know — all good people — and things were smoothed out.
It stands to reason that good people help good people, but all I could think about were the previously mentioned group of assholes. They’d immediately throw a tantrum, look for people to blame (‘cuz it would NEVER be their fault!) and the entire shoot would be immediately jeopardized. Remember, assholes don’t want you to succeed. Your failure only translates to their success.
Maybe this all sounds a bit harsh. Or perhaps you think I’m just overreacting. Who knows. However, I encourage you to look around at the people you interact with. See where they fall on the good guy/asshole scale, and look at the people in their support network.
Guaranteed, you’ll be surprised what you see …
“Then I noticed that there’s a couple other guys in the same office that are equally asshole-ish. Or is it assholesque?”
Assholesque has a very nice ring. I’d go with that one. One thing I have noticed is that certain companies create an atmosphere that allows narcissists to thrive and survive. Having one or two of these creatures on staff can create attraction, as well as competition among others of a like mind. But in the end, they always implode.
Very true. And I sense that implosion is going to occur within the next few months. It’s rather fun to watch this one from the sidelines. Thanks for the comment!