Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Making Yourself Irreplaceable--But Not For The Reason Managers Want

Where one can, striving to have high pay, minimal hours, and the freedom to confront or non-slanderously, non-maliciously mock irrational "superiors" or subordinates without pushback is the way to climb out of the abysmal shadow of the modern American workplace.  Being paid liveable amounts or better is only one part of a truly positive job.  A lack of micromanaging or pettiness is also a prerequisite to this kind of workplace.  Also, the ability to openly or even viciously shut down stupidity in others regardless of its source is an integral thing for every willing rationalist.  When one might be in dire need of a strong income, as if opportunities to find this are plentiful, one might need to be very strategic about verbalizing the only valid worldview (a rationalistic one) and reacting to the almost inevitable bullshit they will encounter.

There is a way to at least partially escape this.  Make yourself so useful as an employee, by skill or by seniority, if you have the energy or whim to do so, that you cannot be easily replaced or would devastate the company with your voluntary or involuntary departure.  It is even better if there would be long-term difficulties with a separation.  That way, without actually doing anything irrational or immoral, you can be a thorn in their side by humiliating stupid people--such as people who practically worship career and "professionalism," workplace utilitarians, petty managers, hypocrites, and people who in any way unrepentantly deny a logical truth--without risking as much retaliation.  Yes, this is what it is when someone decries any sort of stupidity at work and is targeted for it: retaliation, albeit sometimes of a lesser severity than when a company is trying to conceal the likes of employee deaths or executive insider trading.

You will then have relative immunity for any legitimate harshness, mockery, or expressions of loathing that you wish to engage in.  Other people might hate you, but it is only because (if true to this extent) you hate their irrationality and are vocal about it.  Since you are so familiar with company processes, so tied to projects that take place over long periods of time, or are so talented at your job--or if there is a worker shortage, among other things--it would be more damaging to the company pragmatically to fire you or have you resign than for the probably many non-rationalists to suffer your refutations, insults, and manipulation.

There are also more subtle ways to be a rational, morally just obstacle for corporate egos.  If an irrationalistic manager/supervisor (and anything from casually endorsing philosophical errors/assumptions to enforcing trivial pettiness makes them irrational) likes recognition from their "underlings," refuse them the recognition their hearts crave.  You do not even have to belittle them to just ignore them when you can and observe with delight if they appear heartbroken.  If an irrationalist seeks praise, instead of praising them for the (on their own) meaningless achievements of the workplace, scoff at their philosophical stupidity and how they prioritize work over understanding the deep logical necessities that govern reality.

As powerless as plenty of employers or managers/supervisors might want workers to feel, employees have inherent power to a degree as fundamental parts of any business beyond a sole proprietorship with a hierarchy.  Rationalists also have an inherent intellectual power that is more foundational than all the other logically possible types, which puts them in a great position, if they so desire, to exploit both of these truths for their benefit.  Yes, manipulating non-rationalists without violating their literal human rights could absolutely not be the same as a manager or employer trying to manipulate "underlings" for selfish or otherwise asinine reasons.  The difference is like killing someone in self-defense as opposed to murdering someone casually or out of greed.

Making yourself irreplaceable in the workplace can be done for reasons wholly other than wanting to advance a career or please a boss who might not know their right hand from their left.  It can be a way to protect one's ability to lash out at non-rationalists without unjust consequences befalling one for doing this.  Far from being about enriching someone higher on the hierarchy, conforming to arbitrary professional norms, or impressing people to win their ultimately worthless approval, it is about celebrating the intrinsic truth of logical necessities and thus the lesser status of anyone who refuses to discover, acknowledge, or live for them.  No one has to be this vicious in this particular kind of way to be rational, but there cannot be anything irrational about it.

No comments:

Post a Comment