We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

Samizdata quote of the day – competence gap edition

“When competence is rewarded, you get more of it. When the ability to play internal politics is what gets you ahead, then you get more of that. SpaceX has clear goals, short deadlines and clear lines of responsibility. Boeing’s culture, once one that revered engineering, has become one that worships byzantine corporate politics — where you’re more likely to get fired over DEI infractions than over job performance. And it’s not just Boeing; in Oregon, a top forestry official was put on leave after a DEI officer complained he was “seeking only the candidates most qualified for the job,” without emphasizing their “gender and identity.” Ditto the federal government, which has created a self-perpetuating culture of incompetence: It’s virtually impossible to get fired, and failures often bring more resources to the agency, not less.”

Glenn Reynolds, New York Post.

5 comments to Samizdata quote of the day – competence gap edition

  • Michael

    You reap as you sow. It would seem that the lowest common denominator, in all things, is what is being “sown” to. That precludes competence, merit and initiative, all of which are
    not inclusive. Let it be said that results are far less important than the feeling that you make the difference, you know, your participation trophy? Virtue signaling is
    such an underrated talent.

  • AndrewZ

    Competence is downstream of accountability. When people know that failing to deliver means losing their jobs, their business, or their seats, then they will work hard to avoid that. Managers and political leaders who know that they are accountable for results will hire people who can deliver them and fire those who can’t. The competence gap is the result of an accountability gap. But the accountability gap is a bit like the cost of lifting mass to orbit, because the larger it is the more difficult it is to do anything, and solving that one problem suddenly unlocks a vast range of possibilities.

  • Fraser Orr

    @AndrewZ
    Competence is downstream of accountability.

    What you say is true, but there is another way to look at it. People respond to incentives, so outcomes are dependent on what incentives you offer. There are many ways to be “competent”, for sure, one is engineering excellence, however another type of “competence” is that ability to advance through the political jungle. Another type of “competence” is the ability to fine tune your work to do the minimum possible before you get fired (this is common in the public school system for both staff and students). So if you look at outcomes you get a very accurate picture of what the incentives are.

    When entities get large and fat and have guaranteed contracts as is the case with state employees or porky government contractors, their incentives to succeed are gone because they will succeed in keeping their job or big fat contract almost regardless of what they do. So they find other types of incentivization. And that is what you see when people get their panties in a bunch over ephemera and stupidity. They do it because they don’t have anything better to do.

    As a libertarian I want to celebrate the creative destruction the market is visiting on Boeing, but I don’t. Because the world is very dependent on the existence of Boeing. We can’t be left to a monopoly of Airbus, or the inability to manufacture some of the amazingly important military aircraft they build. But how very sad to see such a great company reduced to this.

  • Paul Marks

    DEI – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the “Critical Theory” form of Marxism from which it comes, was never intended to be a social system (a society) – it was intended to be a weapon to undermine and destroy society.

    Herbert Marcuse and the Frankfurt School Marxists were as astounded by the United States when they arrived there as Professor Tolkien’s “Sauron” was by Numenor (the Numenor of Tolkien – not the pathetic thing of the Amazon television series) – but, like Sauron, their astonishment just made their hatred, and their desire to destroy, all the more extreme.

    Why does the People’s Republic of China do everything it can to encourage “Woke” DEI in the United States and other Western countries (Chinese financial influence is used to push it – in the West) – but not allow such practices in China? Very simple – as stated above, DEI is not a social system, it is not meant to be a functioning society, it is meant to undermine and destroy society.

    Do you want surgery to be conducted on you by someone who got their position by competence – or by someone who got their position by their race, “gender”, or sexual orientation?

    How about the aircraft you are flying in – do you want it to be designed by someone who knows what they are doing, or a DEI person?

    People, such as Corporate managers, such Bob Iger of the Disney Corporation, who deny that DEI is socialism have a point – but not the point they think they have.

    No socialist dictator would be suicidal enough to push DEI in their country – DEI is a weapon to destroy Western countries.

    And the education system and basically every other institution has fallen to it – including the Central Banking system which decides who gets the funny money created from nothing.

    At this point the vast corporations can no afford NOT to be “Woke” – as the Credit Money will be cut off if they are “racist-sexist-homophobic” (and so on) – i.e. if they work on the basis of competence not box ticking.

    So whilst the name “DEI” (or “EDI” in the United Kingdom) may be changed, the basic policy will not be.

    The last chance is the American election – if Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance are admitted to be the winners then there is a chance (not a very big chance – but a chance) that these doctrines will be rolled back.

    If K. Harris and Tim Walz are declared the winners – then the United States, and the Western world (which can not survive without the United States) are finished.

    It is that brutally simple.

  • Paul Marks

    Elon Musk knows the above very well – for example the Federal Government tried to take legal action against him for not employing unqualified illegal immigrants.

    Not for employing unqualified illegal immigrants – for refusing to employ them.

    Not employing them is “racist” you see.

    Follow the policies of the government and the banks (and other financial institutions – such as the big three share management entities) and your business will not function – the films you make will be terrible, the space craft you make will blow up, and so on.

    Do not follow their policies – and they will destroy you. After all they have been taught by their education that if you do not follow the path of “equity” (“justice” – to them) you must be evil, and it is their moral duty to destroy your business, and you personally.

    “Go fuck yourself” – Elon Musk’s public message not just Bob Iger, but also to the banks and the Corporate State generally, will only stand if the side he is backing wins the election.

    If they other side wins – Mr Musk, and everyone like him, is dead meat.

Leave a Reply

You can use these HTML tags

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>