A couple days ago I met with a fellow who works for a customer of mine - he's similar to me in many ways and one is that we both don't like micro-management; I'm not micro-managed at work, but he is (due to a new general manager arriving) and having his freedom taken away with needless micro-management is taking away his effectiveness and motivation.
I came away agreeing with what he'd said about the merits of the freedom to proceed with one's professional role (around the company's needs) and how that brings productivity; sure, it doesn't apply to everyone, there's always lazy assholes, but for blokes like he and I (solid work-ethic, ownership, sense of responsibility and discipline) micro-management is a hindrance not a help.
The freedom to be...you
It's a simple thing really, the freedom concept, and it applies to all of us, don't you agree?
It's freedom that means I can post this blog about freedom. It's also freedom that permits people to vote it as they choose, up or down. Isn't that great? The freedom to act as you choose? Methinks it is, and methinks I took the opportunity to use the word 'methinks' because 'methinks' is a word that's not used often enough...methinks....and methinks I have the freedom to use the word 'methinks' as I choose.
Anyway, if someone took your freedom away I think you'd feel somewhat railroaded and that your freedom of choice had been compromised - the freedom to be you had been denied. Am I right?
What if a security guy at a shop said, "you can't walk into this shop because you're the wrong colour!" An assault on your freedom? Yeah, I'd say so, and you'd feel pretty bad about it.
What about if someone came along and demanded that you, must upvote their post?
That's taking away freedom of choice right?
What if someone came along and demanded that you do not downvote their post? Sure, they have the freedom to demand that, but in demanding and expecting it, aren't they removing the freedom of others? Doesn't micro-management also do the same? Methinks it does. (There's that word again.)
I've lost count of how many times I've seen someone demanding that someone else does not downvote their post and it's often done in rude, aggressive and entitled ways - it rarely goes well. It makes me wonder if those same people contact the accounts that upvote their posts and demand to know why. It'd be fucken bonkers right?
Enjoy your freedom
If I was micro-managed at work I'd leave for another organisation, there's no question about it, and I'd stand by my decision and be happy to cite the micro-management as the reason for my exit; that's freedom.
I also enjoy the freedom of choice in other aspects of life although sometimes people acting in counter-productive ways, against the law for instance, pay dearly for their brand of freedom. I'm law-abiding so freedom to me comes without those issues.
Those freedoms I have exist on this platform also. I've never had someone demand to know why I exerted my freedom and upvoted their post...have you ever angrily demanded to know why someone gave you an upvote? I don't think anyone has ever done that, but they could because, freedom of choice. Conversely. have you ever angrily demanded to know why someone gave you a downvote? You can you know, because freedom of choice. That doesn't mean you're entitled to an answer.
I've had hundreds of up and downvotes handed to me and that's excellent, freedom of choice and all.
I've never asked why someone upvoted me though and I've not asked why someone downvoted me either...it's their choice to do as they please. It's your choice to do as you please, which extends to plagiarism, spam posting up and downvoting and anything else. But with action there's often reaction and that has to be accepted also. Right? Right?
So I guess people should simply enjoy their freedom rather than try and take someone else's freedom away with a demand, and accept that the same freedom that applies to one, applies to the other.
Hive is an odd place with a lot of odd characters with odd behaviours and odd ideas and odd habits and odd actions and odd reactions...Methinks it is odd. (Damn, there's that word again).
It's also a place where freedom exists, for all, and a place I like to be...and a place I'll exert my freedom of choice. The real world is the same, but different. Can you act with impunity in the real world? Nope, there's implications. When you get caught speeding in your car by a police officer can you demand that he doesn't give you a ticket?? Yep! Will there be implications? Yep!
I wonder if in the real world someone has encroached on your freedom like with that chap above and his micro-managing general manager. If you want to tell me about it do so, or not. Have you taken away someone else's freedom and if so why and how did that go? Do you feel that freedom only applies to some of us? Do you think you should have the freedom to act as you please and others need to act as you want them to? Exercise your freedom to comment below, or your freedom not to, the choice is yours.
Oh, and I decided to use some photos that probably don't have anything at all to do with the post because freedom y'all!
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own