Friday, December 23, 2011

Fungibilsation of Humanity

An interesting read http://www.forbes.com/sites/rawnshah/2011/05/17/the-future-of-work/ Part of the article reminded me of the day that I realised that my employer had shifted "our" Values in such a way that humans had become fungible resources I believe this is a trend that is spreading like a cancer across the world The companies Values used to be: Respect for People, Integrity and Excellence in that order, in the short form P.I.E. The company like many I see are shifting their Values to Respect for Profit, Discretion, and Agility Some organisations are still clinging to their original values and avoiding this shift, but the "market" will punish them until they bend to the inevitable. fungible - of goods or commodities; freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation It seems I am not alone in thinking that making humanity fungible is the ultimate sin http://www.patrickemclean.com/2011/10/a-word-patrick-likes-fungible-adj/ One might call this trend the Commoditisation of Humanity, I personally abhor the trend whatever we might call it! Is the trend exacerbated by our dire economic situation, or was our dire economic situation a result of the "Fungibilisation of Humanity"? There was a time when Companies thought differently: Cadbury used to be one such company, a firm run by Quakers whose beliefs helped direct their enlightened management style Sadly even this firm has fallen to the "market" for Cadbury Shareholders chose the 11.4 Biilion offered by Kraft, the temporary promise of continued employment for the Cadbury staff has now lapsed... The "Market" is apparently driven by Shareholders... I am one…. But do I really want the goal of any organisation that I hold shares in to treat humans as fungible resources to be cast aside when someone or something equivalent can be found to do their work for less? My answer is a resounding NO! But apparently I am alone… What must change? A word of warning or a glimmer of hope: Humans are not unthinking commodities, they can think, and act! Merry Christmas