From: natashavita@earthlink.net
Date: Tue Jul 30 2002 - 13:57:13 MDT
From: Christopher Whipple crw@well.com
>Revenge in the American spirit is an interesting thing, I've thought
about it recently. Why haven't we heard about attempts on the life of
OJ Simpson? Why are we not hearing about vigilante's hunting down
crooked board members and executives?<
Taking out the CFO and CEO of a corporation (or its board members) would
boomerang back onto the very people who have been economically or
emotionally damaged by them by potentially causing a greater bear-nosed
drop in the company’s stock.
The fact that these executives are being exposed for their actions gives a
very public and humiliating revenge for the public. While employees do,
from time to time, go postal, but I'm not sure that people feel that this
is an adequate comeuppance for the violators. Whereas, the newly
publicized and highly public profiling of rotten executives may be quite
satisfying. Further, by not going postal, there is a better chance for
employees to get some profitable offer, such as with Enron's staff posing
for magazines and such.
>Is there a theory of selective social conscience out there?<
My theory is that of social relativity - that social events are played out
and interpreted according to the cultural experiences and personal
interests of those directly or indirectly involved, and which are based on
the socio-economic terrain of the times. Inasmuch, it might be better for
folks to consider their 401K and let the media do the tarring and featuring
of the executives (as I said above) rather then loading their own guns and
having to either go to jail or kill themselves after taking everyone else
out.
With the high level violence and indignation that creeps in and out of
society, the urge to want someone to suffer for their deeds is certainly
nerve-deep in society. It seems the social lynch-mob has rescinded a bit
and watching it on TV like a sport.
Natasha
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