The Cult of the Job

What is a cult?
"A totalitarian control over the lifestyle and time of its members - Many cults tend to dictate exactly what its followers should read, eat, how and with whom they should spend their time, and even what they should do in off hours. This totalitarian control is necessary for the leaders to indoctrinate the followers in everything they do, and is also an attempt to separate them from anything not associated with the cult."
Poulson, 2002

Awhile back I began to evaluate my career and the way other people view their careers and jobs. I came up with some disturbing thoughts about what our lives are all about.

What do you think?

The Biggest Cult

I encountered the biggest cult the other day. It has been growing very rapidly but people don't seem to realize they are even in a cult.

Here is how this cult usually works.
Recruits are recruited by family members at a very early age. They are usually so impressionable and so young that they do not or cannot object.

At this early age they are required to undergo years of apprenticeship to learn the basic skills to serve the cult. They are given this training free of charge but are not paid during the training period. While learning basic skills they are taught how wonderful the cult is and how much of an honor it will be to serve the Cult.

After many years of training and they have done well they are given two choice. They may start serving the Cult immediately at a small, insignificant job at small insignificant pay without any chance of advancement or they may, at their own expense (as much as $50,000 a year), continue their training with some vague notion (no guarantee) that they may get a better position serving the Cult.

After completing this advanced training they are give the opportunity to work for the Cult at a slightly higher wage. They are paid enough to live a lifestyle similar to their peers so that they feel that they are doing all right. They are actively discouraged from exploring any other options.

The Cult demands absolute loyalty from their members and expect their members to give up everything in service to the cult. They are expected to work long hours and make their families secondary to the needs of the Cult. The Cult however, implies no loyalty to their members. They can move their members to any job or any place without concern for the member's current lifestyle or family needs. They can even be thrown out of the Cult without any notice.

Members are told that if they work hard and put the needs of the Cult in front of everything else they may make it to the top. Government investigation has shown however that only about 2% of the member actually makes it to the top.

Members are expected to work 30 to 50 years. The Cult however may decide that the older member can be replaced by younger and more energetic cult members. The older member is then asked to leave the Cult with little or no backup. May ex Cult members find themselves having to fend for themselves with out any support from the Cult after they leave.

Who would ever join or stay in a cult like this?

What is this cult?

Why, it's you and the Cult is your job of course. Think about it.

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