Winning Friends and Influencing People?

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At a job I once held, I once made the mistake of revealing a piece of information to a co-worker that I didn’t realize her manager hadn’t told her yet.   When I realized what had happened, I initiated something I called “Operation STFU,” which basically boiled down to two rules:

  1. don’t say anything that you don’t absolutely know you need to say

  2. even when you have to say something, don’t say anything stupid

I’m not sure whether or not Operation STFU was successful.  I was eventually fired from that job, but I learned a lot from the experience too, and know a lot more about when not to say anything, to the point where I think I might want to offer seminars for people like CVPS Attorney Dale Rocheleau, who not only asked a question that might come across as, shall we say, patronizing and absurd, but did so in writing:

“Since smoking is a lifestyle choice, rather than a necessity, should an energy assistance program exclude applicants that choose to smoke?”

…and…

“… wouldn’t a participant that smokes be likely to use some or all of the energy cost savings to purchase cigarettes?”

Perhaps the Salmon campaign is looking for a spokesperson?

4 thoughts on “Winning Friends and Influencing People?”

  1. he is trying to think of the small people who would just spent it on cigarettes.

    Maybe hard for him because at $465,285.00 total compensation per year he has a whole different set of possible lifestyle choices. http://people.forbes.com/profi…

  2. Mr. Rocheleau has just earned himself a reservation for the smoking section of the hot hereafter.

  3. except me and my monkey.

    The widespread use of tobacco in our society is a bummer, but we all have our money wasting habits, right? Except me, of course. Mud hut, new loincloth once a decade.

    What strikes me about this is the reappearance of that same old canard – the poor are morally inferior and therefore undeserving. The wealthy would like to think that all poor people are victims of their own moral failings rather than systemic economic flaws. Also that their own present position is all about merit, rather than relying on a large dose of luck. Choosing one’s parents (including bank account) properly is a major first step.

    I’m about to do some energy upgrades on my house. I may spend some of the savings on a bottle of Scotch. That is, if it’s ok with Dale.  

  4.  A VtTiger’s sympathies before the final gong.

    If this becomes a trend, then there won’t be enough time left before the final gong to get all the apologizing done.  And if lawyers start worrying about being sensitive in their work, then there won’t be much lawyering done.  

    The poor do spend out of proportion on cigarettes and on lottery tickets and in the cold calculations of the state, that is a good thing.  The cigarette companies hand over billions to state governments and the lottery, as we are constantly reminded, helps fund education.

    http://www.vermonttiger.com/co…

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