BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 05:54 PM

Jim Dixon said:

"I am not arguing against students being required to carry ID cards."

Students are never REQUIRED to carry an ID card. They are just really stupid if they choose not to do it, especially if they then decide to argue with the staff who ask them for it when conducting university business.

Then Jim Dixon says:

"One detail you seem to have missed (I mentioned it in my last message and I regret I didn't stress it earlier) is that whoever is issuing the cards, conducting orientation of new students, or publishing official rules is doing a terrible job. They are giving the students ZERO information about what the card is for, at least as far as the campus post office is concerned."

Excuse me, but why in god's name, does a college student need "orientation" about their freakin' ID card????? What, it is too tough to figure out what they are for? That gee, maybe they might need it for something? Like maybe something to do with the university?

This is such a miniscule part of university business, is absolutely doesn't belong in the university policy (ask students how many of them have read THOSE for christ sake--3 maybe, in a good year). It also doesn't belong in orientation. Talk about wanting the bureaucracy to revolve around JIM DIXON PERSONALLY. Jesus. The place for this is right where it is. In YOUR department, decided by YOUR supervisors, and in THEIR employee training manuals.

And then, Mr. Dixon informs us:

"NOBODY (outside the post office) is telling them they will need the ID card to pick up a package. The first time they hear it is the first time they show up at the post office window trying to claim a package."

Wah fucking wah. What, are these preschoolers? They can't handle a simple instruction from the staff at the window like "May I see your ID please?" They have meltdowns on the spot, that's THEIR problem. Why the hell Jim Dixon thinks this infintessimally insignificant "rule" should be coming out of the Office of the President, or which ever office issues university policy, or rises to the level of the student orientation, I'll never know. If this is that big of a deal, try writing a simple "mailbox" or university post office info sheet, and have the student orientation people include it with the packets that none of the students read.

That will fix them.

"At that point, it IS unfair and unreasonable to deny them their own property as a means of forcing them to do something they previously had no idea they were supposed to do."

God save us from career men like you, Jim. Just why is it "unreasonable" again? Because they are too lazy to walk to their dorm rooms? God the cruelty of life. It just isn't fair, is it?

And then, this piece de resistance:

"I was to get one my coworkers to concede that IF in fact there is an official policy that students should always carry their ID, then this policy ought to be published somewhere, and we ought to be able to find it."

Right. So what the hell is stopping you from typing it up, posting it on the wall outside the window, and PUTTING A COPY OF IT IN EACH STUDENT'S MAILBOX?????????? Maybe sky writing it would help, eh?

And finally, we have this:

"As an employee, I feel it is my right and my duty to argue against any policies—or alleged policies—that I feel are detrimental to the mission of the institution as a whole, and I am doing just that."

Destrimental to the mission of the institution????? Forgetting your fucking ID card? Talk about your bureaucratic power trips Jim. Oh my god. Oh my god. Why are you so clueless? I'm sure you'll rise to your level of incompetence soon.

And finally, thank you Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 06:18 PM

I was on the other end of that. Last christmas my wife went to visit her folks in another province. They had sent us a christmas pkg via purkolator (the instructions were to leave it on our porch, which the courier ok'd at the sending end) Of course they didnt leave it on the porch, I had to go and pick it up and there was only 1 working day left, and they were across town so I just got there 5mins before they closed.

I could tell they were ticked off when I came in, as they were getting ready to leave. One of them told the other staff to lock the door after me. So when I asked for the package and gave them the delivery slip they left at the door - and showed my id with the same address. They said the package was not addressed to me (it was apparently addressed to my wife) and would not release it.

when I asked if they could double check if my name is on the package
one of them did a cursory peek around the corner and said no. (I dont even think she looked) As my wife was away for 2 weeks and only she could pick it up, the package would be sent back after 7 days as it was not picked up.

So as I left i thanked them for nothing.
to which they shouted something behind me.

later I phoned purkolater and they said they could extend the pickup time. When my wife called to complain, as her folks had paid extra for deliver before the xmas weekend about the only thing they would do is ask the staff to call me and apologize.
(which one of them did and left a msg although it wasnt particularly heartfelt -)

imagine my irritation when my wife finally picked up the package 2 weeks later
and it had her name and my name right next to it.

and all for a bunch of (now stale) christmas cookies.

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 06:32 PM

Oh crumbs!

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 06:40 PM

Do we need any further evidence that there are authoritarians all around us?

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 07:42 PM

I havent read all the above, but it would seem to me that
if its ok to not being totally nitpicky about the ids and let the student have the stuff while letting them know it is the exception then why not do that.
Im more irritated by the power trip over not releasing something to a student because the staf dont like him.

weve all been fucked around by bureaucracy one way or another
(when I moved from one province to bc as a teenager I still had a learners drivers licence - which in manitoba was listed as on probation. the bc motor veh. dude said I had to do a whole road test as well as a written test - because I did something obviously bad
to be on probation - although all manitoba drivers are the 1st year.)

he wouldnt budge or call manitoba to check. I just went to another branch and had it done, no problem, the guy was just a jerk
of course he wasnt like that with the cute girl that was in the line ahead of me.

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 08:14 PM

Can't wait to find out what Jim Dixon gets from his work colleagues he is accusing of bullying students, for Christmas. I think we should nominate him for sainthood, for forcing a stupid rule in the mailroom to the level of "university policy" and accusing his co-workers of behavior that is grounds for disciplinary action or firing.

What a great guy. I so wish I could work with him. We really need more crusaders like him pushing mailroom rules making up to the board room.

Subject: RE: BS: Authoritarianism in daily life.
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:16 PM

Yes. The Guest who is a regular nailing a member from the bushes. Talk about no balls.