The Greek myth of Sisyphus tells the story of a king condemned to roll a rock
uphill and upon reaching the top loses control of the rock which rolls back down
and he must restart the endless task.

This is interpreted by most as symbolic of absurdity in life and pointlessness
for we all have a common destiny of concluding this life's drama. I've found
nothing inspirational or worthy of emulation in the myth although some find
meaning in the struggle itself.

In recognizing accomplishment, the ability to overcome difficulty is praised
with reverence and awe, as it should be. Too often though, those difficult
circumstances don't get the scrutiny deserved and go unaddressed until some
critical mass is reached (say, tent cities appear, or violence breaks out). How
did manufactured hardship become the vaunted path to achievement? Yes,
'manufactured', because all of the circumstances and/or responses are created by
humans.

At a corporation where I was once employed there was a saying: "Work smarter,
not harder". Clearly in some cases (i.e. gaining revenue) a more efficient
route with reduced impediments was preferred and encouraged.

Advocates who chant "personal responsibility" believe that is the only
answer. It is certainly a critical factor but it presupposes that the only
power one has is to circumvent (or more popularly envisioned, plough through)
the obstacle. Education may allow you to "control your destiny" but no more than
hardening yourself to whatever "life" may throw at you. There are plenty of
educated people right now wondering how their destiny has been radically changed
from what they envisioned.

It would be different if history didn't have this aggravating habit of repeating
itself. That very aforementioned education teaches the many sacrifices,
sometimes years in coming to light, that were made before a little more
refinement of 'civilization' occurred (if one knows where to look).
And decade after decade there is a familiarity, a common thread of oppression,
rebellion, and fractionalization.

With all the revelations emanating from the economic meltdown lately I
wonder, how many complicit in the scandals didn't have a father? Did they have
to overcome discrimination? Were they demonized by the system? Did they have a
"victim" mentality? In short, were they burdened with the same pathologies
whose impact (real or imagined) has long been attributed to the "others"? What
could account for this greedy anti-social behavior?

And on the other side of it, what can be said to assuage the innocent bystanders;
the ones who "followed the rules" and were industrious "team players"? I'll tell
you what I hear in some quarters: it's all their fault! They should've had a
backup plan, they should have been more analytical and proactive in developing
and executing a strategy...

As I think of those innocent bystanders I wonder: How many "ones" were they able
to accumulate over the course of their career performance reviews? And what
good is it now? What kind of personal responsibility should they assume for
aging? (Staying "current" doesn't automatically translate to "a good fit"
you know. What personal responsibility is there for not being "cost-effective"?
(Lessee...barring a merger where I'm part of the 'merged' hence low on the totem
pole, or need for the company to meet Wall Street's expectations [read hold the
line on salaries], I did get "ones" -- or at least "high twos" on my performance
review the last few periods, didn't I?)

And, what doesn't get equal time in the platitudes about "hard work"
and "education" is the not-so-subliminal views on "office politics" and the
like.

This economic disaster has changed people's lives in ways they never imagined
(although some have been down so long, it seems like "up" to them. I heard a
comment on CSPAN's Washington Journal recently where a caller observed that
perhaps now some will see that a downturn in fortune is not necessarily caused
by a deficiency of character). Could it be that this reversal of fortune will
harbor a new-found empathy? Uh oh, there's that niggling aggravation about repetitive
history again...

Some years ago I had a fantasy of how the world would work if everyone could
switch jobs for six months. Too preposterous, my ego replied, the knowledge and
skill transfer could not be accomplished without a direct download to the cortex,
sci-fi style. Now, underemployment as well as unemployment is rife; the only
working example of a trickle-down theory however.

Funny, how things have a way of working out.

Am I saying to give up when the road is hard? Hardly. What I am saying is let's
not pay undue homage to the struggle without recognizing the causes, components
and their true cost.

What I'm doing about it: learning all I can about Internet Marketing, keeping up
with my technical skills, and finding _Clients_ rather than interviews. Want to
join me? Subscribe to my newsletter with a blank email and subject line "Opt In"
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[Sources: NYT online "Older Workers Need Not Apply" 4/12/2009,
surfing a number of websites and Life experience: 1965- ]