The Blame Game - Who is Left Holding the Bag?

I’ve had this tic, more mental than physical, since posting my last blog. In re-reading my diatribe against the impersonal nature of virtual communication, I realized I reek of guilt from the minor transgressions mentioned in terms of inappropriate communication when personal contact would have been more appropriate - except the New Year’s Eve text, which could have only been the action of a wholly unique, and most likely somewhat inebriated, individual.

In converting the majority of our conversations to texts, e-mails and Facebook posts, we have relieved ourselves of that little stickler known as accountability. Bid adieu to the days of sweating and staring at the floor as you have to personally explain not wanting to date someone anymore due to any number of reasons - a five minute e-mail, and the situation is resolved with very little personal involvement or potential repercussions. I believe this new trend speaks volumes about the current state of our society and its newfound lack of responsibility for anything relating not only to our personal lives, but to our professional lives as well. 

It should come as no surprise that, whereas in the past we were a nation renowned for our production of steel, automobiles, technology, etc., we now succeed mainly in generating networks of corporate hierarchies that lack any real cohesion from the bottom tier employees to the upper level employers/employees. We have become the enforcers of regulations and pricing, while leaving the development to other countries which can mass produce
more affordably (which actually marks the success of our capitalist endeavors). I have several friends who are in the process of climbing the corporate ladder and what strikes me is the constant fear that there are forces outside of their control that are constantly working an unspoken agenda which not only manipulates the minds of its employees but also might leave them jobless at any point.  

From my own experience working as a temp for several different companies, it amazed me how little the different divisions of any given company knew about each others’ roles, obscuring the big picture from anyone who is working as an individual cog in the machine. Therefore, everyone is relieved of liability; employees responsible for working within their prescribed job duties were just answering to a superior they have no direct access to, whereas the supervisors and CE (F and G) Os can always shift blame back to the employee, stating that the employee was guilty of acting outside the limits of his job duties. 

Similarly, this blame game works for our other booming industry: customer service. As a waitress for ten years, I can vouch for the fact that nothing will make a person emotionally detach himself from others more than having to entertain their customers’ wishes and moods day in and day out. When a table became too aggravated, I would just get the manager and let her deal with the situation knowing full well that in 15 minutes, I would never have to deal with the “guests” sitting at that table again. Also, if there was a problem with an order, I could always blame the kitchen or the bartender even if I was to blame for ringing in the order incorrectly. Naturally, this makes “customer service” an oxymoron of sorts since blame can easily be shifted from person to person until the customers are, for all intents and purposes, completely ignored.  

Rather than negate all aspects of capitalism or suggest some kind of revolutionary nihilism, similar to the one presented in Fight Club, I simply pose the question, who will be left holding the bag when the nation comes looking for the person responsible for our next big move when we can't even get a refill on our soda?