Backup

I have always considered myself a political progressive but not quite the typical 'lefty'. I have always found myself gravitating towards the right in economic matters but the left in social matters. Meanwhile, I have witnessed good friends of mine who have veered from the left to the right as they get older, which has made me curious about the reasons behind the change and caused me to research those reasons. What I have found is essentially the realisation by some former leftists that as governments and institutions exercise their powers to pursue and empower a progressive ideal, the very act of such empowerment, whether by social or legal means, is seen to be an over-reach that erodes the status quo's freedoms, which is the opposite of the definition of progressiveness. Putting it crudely, being told and compelled to do what is progressive is ironically and inherently not progressive. It is this logic that causes many on the right to accuse the left for being hypocri...

I was reading the 360-degree survey results the business recently conducted in the context of my performance. None of the comments provided by my workmates came as a surprise. They confirmed and coincided with how I think I perform at work. One insight I have gained though explains why work seems to get harder each year and why I can't wait to retire - it is not the underlying work that is difficult; rather, it is the constant judgment and the need to conform based on this judgement that has been slowly sucking the life out of me. While there are many elements in my nature that actually coincides with what is seen as the values of the business, constantly measuring myself against those corporate expectations and requirements brings a continuous and never ending source of stress in my every day life. At the risk of letting my ego express itself - who are you to tell me how I behave and manage my work life is 'good' or 'bad'? How could I respect such a binary va...