I was watching Josh Slocum's latest video and I had an epiphany: communism is the rise of a few totally miserable people who desire to make everyone as miserable.
It works the other way too. I've seen customers in Whole Foods, angry because the cashier forgot to give them their 10 cents refund because they brought their own bag and they will go to customer service, complain about the moron of a.cashier and demand their 10 cents. These same virtuous green planet people then go and take 5 bags of complimentary ice, wrapped in plastic bags, and put all their produce in plastic bags and leave the store in a huff because the overworked bagger pointed to where the complimentary ice was and they had to walk a few feet and get it themselves. They also go in the self checkout line with a cart full of groceries, even though there is a long line of people waiting and even though there is a sign saying 12 items or less and apparently, there is nothing the staff can do about it. People also walk out with stolen items all the time and the staff has no choice but to let them do it. I think there is a helplessness in people, a sense that the world has gone mad, plus people are suffering in so many ways and they they don't know what do about it because there doesn't seem to be any answers. Fyi, I also have experienced the Soviet cashiers by the way, in the 1980s and they were indeed frightening.
Tessa, this brought back memories of trying to be polite to the cashier at the "gastronom", or behind the counter in the "boofyet" (cafeteria) of our dormitory... Scary, most definitely. I am guessing that most of your readers have had little experience with the Soviet-style shopping experience, perfectly engineered to occupy a boatload of every comrade's time to fetch the needed staples/groceries for the day. And the cashier's was the final line in which to stand while holding each and every "bilyet" from the other lines, for bread, cheese, eggs ... As in the scene from Moscow on the Hudson, the "plenty" in American grocery stores in contrast to the 1976 paucity in Moscow grocery stores that I visited would cause a nervous breakdown in anyone.
A young, skinny, male Soviet cashier, indeed! Long gone is the day when corporate businesses gave a shit about customer satisfaction, with the exception of Walmart. While I hate the impact this colossus has had on small businesses throughout the land, I do appreciate their emphasis in training employees to be nice. I shop there because not only the employees are nice, and helpful, but so are the customers. I'm reading an amazing book now, published in 1966, called "Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time." 985 large pages of small print and dense content.
In one section he discusses the differences between Western culture and Russian culture, and how Russian culture was shaped partly by the invasion and subjugation of the Slavs by Viking raiders, who adopted Byzantine values and political organization.
We are inundated with narcissistic abuse at every single level. God help us. I know I have cut ties with many people, but reading about the thousands and beyond out there, ugh.
Reminds me of something a United Airlines attendants said a little too candidly on television once: "The customer is the enemy." Oops. Bet her job didn't last long after that.
It is regrettably true that power and authority, of any kind and any degree, go to the head of the vast majority of people, especially those who have low self-worth and feel suddenly important and powerful when given a position.
The covid crisis demonstrated this, which was not about an emergency but an opportunity for many to indulge the most contemptible and pathological human desires to dominate and control (as well as, of course, an opportunity for a few to get very wealthy and for government to claim ever more endless power). This is why all hierarchical societies, which are all structured around power and authority at the top, are all potential police states.
Hahaha, not much has changed since. I was in Russia in August and in supermarkets the cashiers still bark “paket?!” («Пакет» a plastic bag) at you even if you hold a used bag in your hand.
Yes, there’s something about those who enjoy the punitive aspects of power. That punitivity is a lifestyle for them. The power to exercise it is the unfortunate dream come true!
The Return of the Soviet Cashier
Some people got a taste of authority during covid and they found they really, really liked it.
I was watching Josh Slocum's latest video and I had an epiphany: communism is the rise of a few totally miserable people who desire to make everyone as miserable.
https://disaffectedpod.substack.com/p/held-hostage-the-undoing-of-an-american
It works the other way too. I've seen customers in Whole Foods, angry because the cashier forgot to give them their 10 cents refund because they brought their own bag and they will go to customer service, complain about the moron of a.cashier and demand their 10 cents. These same virtuous green planet people then go and take 5 bags of complimentary ice, wrapped in plastic bags, and put all their produce in plastic bags and leave the store in a huff because the overworked bagger pointed to where the complimentary ice was and they had to walk a few feet and get it themselves. They also go in the self checkout line with a cart full of groceries, even though there is a long line of people waiting and even though there is a sign saying 12 items or less and apparently, there is nothing the staff can do about it. People also walk out with stolen items all the time and the staff has no choice but to let them do it. I think there is a helplessness in people, a sense that the world has gone mad, plus people are suffering in so many ways and they they don't know what do about it because there doesn't seem to be any answers. Fyi, I also have experienced the Soviet cashiers by the way, in the 1980s and they were indeed frightening.
Brought to mind by the bleach + fish history, here's a hopefully comedic homage to Gilda Radner.
Here is a reminder or introduction to the genius of Emily LItella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZLeaSWY37I
.
Scene: SNL set of old with Gilda Radner as Emily Litella
.
Emily Litella:
What's all this I hear about the Nobel Prize in Physics being awarded to a couple of Europeans who studied hogs and bison ?
Shouldn't something like that be covered by a Nobel Prize in Zoology ?
I mean...pigs are pretty much everywhere, but bison ?
Couldn't they at least find an Indian scientist to honor for studying bison ?
Oh, well...what do you expect from a prize committee based in a country
that dips perfectly good whitefish in lye ?
Anyway, I'm Emily Litella and thats...
.
Offscreen voice of Don Pardo:
Miss Litella, the prize in Physics was for work on the Higgs boson, not hogs and bison.
The Higgs boson allows some fundamental particles to have mass and form atoms.
Without it, everything would move at the speed of light and have no mass.
.
Emily Litella:
Oh, that's very different....nevermind !
Tessa, this brought back memories of trying to be polite to the cashier at the "gastronom", or behind the counter in the "boofyet" (cafeteria) of our dormitory... Scary, most definitely. I am guessing that most of your readers have had little experience with the Soviet-style shopping experience, perfectly engineered to occupy a boatload of every comrade's time to fetch the needed staples/groceries for the day. And the cashier's was the final line in which to stand while holding each and every "bilyet" from the other lines, for bread, cheese, eggs ... As in the scene from Moscow on the Hudson, the "plenty" in American grocery stores in contrast to the 1976 paucity in Moscow grocery stores that I visited would cause a nervous breakdown in anyone.
And if you think you have it rough, look at her hubby.
A young, skinny, male Soviet cashier, indeed! Long gone is the day when corporate businesses gave a shit about customer satisfaction, with the exception of Walmart. While I hate the impact this colossus has had on small businesses throughout the land, I do appreciate their emphasis in training employees to be nice. I shop there because not only the employees are nice, and helpful, but so are the customers. I'm reading an amazing book now, published in 1966, called "Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time." 985 large pages of small print and dense content.
In one section he discusses the differences between Western culture and Russian culture, and how Russian culture was shaped partly by the invasion and subjugation of the Slavs by Viking raiders, who adopted Byzantine values and political organization.
They love it when you tell them they should find a different job.
We are inundated with narcissistic abuse at every single level. God help us. I know I have cut ties with many people, but reading about the thousands and beyond out there, ugh.
Reminds me of something a United Airlines attendants said a little too candidly on television once: "The customer is the enemy." Oops. Bet her job didn't last long after that.
My ego is much bigger than yours
My masculinity massive, be assured
Power and tact, I hammer with strength
Importance and status to pay my rent
And so I dictate to you
You don't dictate to me
Listen to my ego
You worthless squished pea
It is regrettably true that power and authority, of any kind and any degree, go to the head of the vast majority of people, especially those who have low self-worth and feel suddenly important and powerful when given a position.
The covid crisis demonstrated this, which was not about an emergency but an opportunity for many to indulge the most contemptible and pathological human desires to dominate and control (as well as, of course, an opportunity for a few to get very wealthy and for government to claim ever more endless power). This is why all hierarchical societies, which are all structured around power and authority at the top, are all potential police states.
Hi Tessa, From personal experience I know bleached fish is not unheard of in the US too.
Hahaha, not much has changed since. I was in Russia in August and in supermarkets the cashiers still bark “paket?!” («Пакет» a plastic bag) at you even if you hold a used bag in your hand.
Really? Damn! I always thought they got citric acid from citrus fruits.
Yes, there’s something about those who enjoy the punitive aspects of power. That punitivity is a lifestyle for them. The power to exercise it is the unfortunate dream come true!