Survey Says...What?

One of my favorite quotes of all times is one which is variously attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, Alfred Marshall, Mark Twain and many others - is the saying There are three types of lies. Lies, damn lies, and statistics. Surveys and their inherent statistics make their way into popular opinion and their very nature are flawed with questions which create further misconception. In other words, the narrative of the questionnaire is a set up. Often it depends on the expected conclusion of the entity conducting the survey. I want a result to support my conclusion...what questions can I ask to get it? A simple remedy to such a con-game is just think for yourselves folks. If the logical answer is not there among the choices and your BS detector starts to go off, look for your nearest exit.

Here is a clear example with such bias. In this case, bias is exposed as Darwin theory as there is no such thing. The creator of the survey reveals not only their bias, but their lack of grasp on the matter. That is like saying Einstein theory for gravity. Faraday theory for electromagnetism. Marconi theory for radio transmission. See the point? It is rather silly. These natural phenomena exist whether man is around or not to discover them. We as humans just relatively got around to discovering them. It would be a little arrogant on our part to suggest otherwise.

Instead, why not ask if one believes if organized, tax exempt religions/businesses are and have been inherently corrupt? Maybe ask if their patrons look to God instead of themselves as if he were some sort of concierge, for a fee - paid to the church? How exactly do you go from God to origin? Connecting God to organized and demonstratively corrupt religious business? Perhaps that in itself would be valid line of questions to explore. Rationality is not easy. It is far easier to throw the towel in and presume someone or something else other than yourself is in charge. Some call that faith.

Children believe in Santa because they want something. The elderly, desperate, and the infirm pray to God...

For some this realization takes a while. For others, failure is simply an opportunity to do something different. Consider that someone could spend their entire productive life believing they were expending considerable resources towards the goals of making the company they work for successful, sacrificing much only to have these beliefs shattered when they became aware these goals are not necessarily shared by the management they work for. Everyone fails in the event the company fails because of ethical reasons of senior management, or worse - in case of criminal conduct resulting in catastrophic losses for the company. Often it is very personal for those were led to believe in the better angels within us. Whereas, often from the business perspective, there is detachment, cold and hard, day to day realities. A different and insensitive reality not easily understood. Perhaps not by anyone. Perhaps done by desperation of the honorable. Perhaps the last action of the incompetant. Even in the best of times, the often heard response has been a round of ethical training without a visible target like some clumsy hammer of policy to solve a social problem which is not unlike some kind of panacea or piñata where the idea is to hit it (and everyone) hard enough until enough ethical candy will spill out. Instead, would not some actual focus on the actual problems would yield better results and be perceived as more genuine by all? For this reason, there is the realization in the last two decades of the disposable worker. There always has been this concept, but this has moved into the so-called white collar area. This idea allows the employee the freedom to know that management will never have their interest at heart. This employee must know when it is time to go. Faith is something they must reserve for themselves in the quarter by quarter climate. But this attitude may well be a relic of history. There may be drift toward more small businesses ownership. This is the reason small business is so important to the United States. Today more than ever people want to take solace in being part of a company that believes they are part of the solution, where effort will be rewarded and leadership is honorable. Perhaps we will see a greater trend of compensation of executive leadership tied not just short term stock gains and contract life of the previous decade, but long term success of the company combined with the resurgence of shared ownership of equity ownership by all stakeholders in longer term sense. In the end, the person who has varied life experiences and those who provide good examples of leadership are going to find them self happier and more able to see what matters, what is and not worth their time. They will not be so myopic to believe that everyone has their best interest to heart. Nor will they be so jaded to believe that everyone in a leadership every role is not worthy of their support and their respect. This will allow some balance. Just do not let that work thing become your identity. Save your own soul.

Consider: Children believe in Santa because they want something. The elderly, desperate, and the infirm pray to God because they lost something.