Author: Howard Saunders
THE RISE OF THE MINI TYRANTS, we all know the type. Dress a man in a hi-vis vest, armed with a clipboard and a biro, and you’ve just built yourself a mini tyrant. You’ve licensed a tiny authoritarian to impose the rules verbatim, as he sees fit, no matter the context or circumstances. It’s worrying […]
THE RISE OF THE MINI TYRANTS, we all know the type. Dress a man in a hi-vis vest, armed with a clipboard and a biro, and you’ve just built yourself a mini tyrant.
You’ve licensed a tiny authoritarian to impose the rules verbatim, as he sees fit, no matter the context or circumstances. It’s worrying how humans slip into this mode with such ease.
One of the most famous psychological experiments of all time proves the point.
You remember.
The Stanford Prison Experiment of 1971 divided students into two groups: the guards and the prisoners.
The guinea pigs embraced their roles so enthusiastically that after just twenty four hours (of a two week experiment) prisoners were forced to sleep naked on concrete floors and defecate into a communal bucket.
On the second day (ffs!) the ‘guards’ volunteered to help attack the barricading ‘prisoners’ with fire extinguishers.
Experts reckoned that a third of the ‘guards’ exhibited genuine sadistic tendencies. The two week long experiment was halted after six days.
Or take the equally famous Milgram Experiment where randomly selected subjects willingly administered 450 volt shocks to invisible, loudly squealing victims. Nice work.
So, were these experiments artificially skewed by an unfortunate selection of innate sadists? Were these people plucked from the streets inherently wicked?
Probably not.
The only realistic conclusion is that there is a mini tyrant in many, if not all, of us.
This pandemic has created the perfect petri dish in which tyrants can flourish.
Both Karens and Kevins have been beckoned out from behind their twitching curtains onto the streets to help us lesser mortals toe the line.
Finally, they have their moment.
They can instruct us to wait behind the yellow line, order us to sanitise appropriately and force us to adjust our masks in accordance with regulations.
Karen and Kevin are in charge now, and don’t you forget it.
They control who comes in and out, and if you dare engage in any eye-rollery, expect to be turned away sharpish.
This pandemic is not a joke. Millions are dying you cynical, heartless bastard. They are only doing their job, you understand.
All is explained at the top of their imaginary license, which reads “for the greater good”. Those key words that unlock so much needless cruelty.
We’ve grown accustomed to a certain level of tyranny in our daily lives.
The receptionist at the local council offices, the occasional post office worker and not forgetting the legions that work in airport security.
But in a funny sort of way, these traditional MTs represent a kind of charming throwback from simpler times.
A hangover from the days of Arthur Scargill, or Peter Sellers in ‘I’m Alright Jack’.
The low level hum of authoritarianism was not only limited and manageable, but actually rather reassuring. T
oday however, with the promise of Covid Marshalls and governments encouraging neighbours to snitch on children’s birthday parties, it’s clear a torrent of totalitarians are about to be unleashed on us.
And perhaps most concerning of all, they’ll be at the frontline of retail and hospitality.
It was only a year ago that the hospitality sector was threatened with the prospect of robots taking all their jobs.
Now that we’ve seen those off, the last thing we need is humans emulating them.
Have a nice day.
Thanks for reading.
Now please follow me on Twitter @retailfuturist for more devastating insights into where we’re all heading…
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
Author Profile
No results available
ResetThe articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
If you’re a sports fan like I am, this is a great time for YOUR highlight reel! March Madness launches shortly — but today, eyes are on the free agents signing new contracts in the NFL. All-day long, sports networks are showing highlight reels of a player’s performance. However, when you examine who gets paid […]
It’s not every day Leaders Can Build Relationships Through Transparency or you see a CEO dancing on TikTok. But being vulnerable and transparent is one of the reasons Ali Bonar has seen incredible growth and success with her company, Oat Haus. Consumers are moving more towards sharing real experiences and less about hiding behind the perfect […]
Leadership Hack: How Sticky Notes Can Help Your Career Sticky notes have been my savior. And I don’t mean in a “don’t forget the milk” kind of way. True, sticky notes are great for grocery lists, but what I’m talking about here is how a few small squares helped me become a better leader, and […]
What does it mean to be an inspiring leader? An inspirational leader is someone that people follow, if you’re a leader and nobody’s following you, you’re not really a leader or you lack leadership skills. Think of the world’s most inspiring leaders, who are inspiring leaders throughout history? What does it mean to be an inspiring leader? An inspiring leader is someone […]
Some people get up every day and make excuses to justify the reasons why they “can’t” get what they want so here are my The 3 Keys to Peak Performance. They allow their EXCUSES to take a VIP seat in their life. “I can’t” apply for a promotion because I don’t have the skills necessary […]
It’s that time of the year for New Years resolutions again, where most of us put together a comprehensive list of resolutions and goals to be a better version of ourselves by thinking what we would ideally look like in the future: lose weight, get fitter, be a better spouse, etc and Why New Years’ […]
The old saying, “What got you here won’t get you there,” applies as a Skill You Need to Master to your professional life today. The world is quickly changing as well as the competitive landscape. Whether you are running a business or trying to increase your career equity, ramping up your skill set is important. […]
In this article you will discover Emotional Management Practices. A person with poor emotional management in the workplace, or even in personal life, can have consequences such as being fired or failing to maintain a stable relationship. At work, those who do not have an awareness of their emotions are often someone who has difficulty appreciating and being appreciated […]
No results available
ResetOur Mission
© All rights reserved 2024. Created using VOXEL THEME
1902 Wright Place, Carlsbad, CA, 92008