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by Rafiki 10/29/2008, 11:46am PDT |
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Talking about how it's a great book and people are encouraged to read it, and it helps you to understand and embrace change. A few months later a couple hundred people were laid off or given the option of early retirement. Seriously!
I read The Richest Man in Town last night!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's 90 pages, but it's in big font and has the dimensions of a Little Golden Book so it only took about a half hour. I was pretty much dead on in my guesstimation. The book was about this guy Marty that worked as a greeter and then cashier at Wal-Mart, and he went out of his way to be extra kind to his customers and would walk out from behind the register and shake every one of their hands and wish them a good day. A lot of people were confused or taken aback by this (AT FIRST), but everyone ultimately decided it was really nice so they would always stand in his line regardless of how long they had to wait. The author was floored by this, so he got to know Marty personally and started writing and giving motivational speeches about him. He learned 3 life lessons from Marty:
-Listen to other people
-Try to do more
-People need to decide to be happy
I think you might be familiar with that last one.
At one point the author off-handedly mentions that Marty said he wanted the job at Wal-Mart as much for the health benefits as the job itself, and eventually Marty dies of an infected gall bladder. But not before living with it for a year, as everyone noticed he started losing a lot of weight before finally going to the hospital. This kind of snaps the book into a whole different perspective. The author even tells a little story about Marty bursting into tears when he's told he's hired at Wal-Mart, but he frames it as another example of Marty being a sweetheart instead of "holy shit that seems kind of desperate." Did I mention Marty lived in a trailer park and never completed high school (dropped out in 9th grade) because he had to get a job to help feed his family during the Great Depression? He was also a WWII veteran.
His customers used to bring him lots of gifts while he worked at Wal-Mart, and he remarked that you get back what you give. That's nice in the immediate sense, but in a lifelong perspective if you're super kind, work hard from 14 years old, and even fight to defend your country, what you get back is dying poor in a trailer park from a treatable medical condition while working at Wal-Mart because you can't afford to retire. BUT HE WAS HAPPY AND ALWAYS SO KIND TO EVERYONE, WE CAN LEARN FROM HIM CALL YOUR PARENTS AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM GLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Am I too cynical? |
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I have homework! by Rafiki 10/28/2008, 1:19pm PDT
Who Moved My Cheese? by Fussbett 10/28/2008, 1:54pm PDT
non sequitur by FABIO 10/28/2008, 2:59pm PDT
What about snacks??? NT by I need clarification 10/28/2008, 8:08pm PDT
There was also no scenery NT by FABIO 10/30/2008, 2:08pm PDT
It's gotta boost employee morale to compare them to lab mice in a maze. NT by Mischief Euthanizer 10/28/2008, 10:16pm PDT
I never had to read that one, but it has been mentioned in staff meetings before by Rafiki 10/29/2008, 11:46am PDT
Let me guess where you can buy lots of copies of that book NT by I need clarification 10/29/2008, 12:08pm PDT
Probably. There was a subtle tugjob given to Wal-Mart here and there by Rafiki 10/29/2008, 12:16pm PDT
No, you're not too cynical. You just don't play on your zealot enough. by Zsenitan 10/29/2008, 1:49pm PDT
I'd play my zealot more if I didn't have to read stupid fucking books published by Rafiki 10/29/2008, 2:03pm PDT
Plus: Even if you're poor, got fucked, don't cause trouble, just be nice to us. NT by Fussbett 10/29/2008, 6:14pm PDT
Who Moved My Cheese: The Animated Feature by Rafiki 07/09/2014, 9:15pm PDT
We were given Cheese to read at work. Christ. NT by Yorick 08/09/2020, 12:12pm PDT
Somebody wrote they were reading this on a dating site too NT by laudablepuss 08/09/2020, 5:47pm PDT
My company just offered “voluntary separations” by Rafiki 08/09/2020, 6:14pm PDT
I wish companies would do that. by Yorick 08/09/2020, 6:52pm PDT
Corporate touchy-feely by Last 10/28/2008, 2:51pm PDT
You guys are assholes. by Quétinbec 10/30/2008, 6:25am PDT
I can't imagine why she's now your EX-girlfriend NT by Mischief Euthanizer 10/30/2008, 8:07am PDT
What's that supposed to mean, MM? Are you making fun of me or her? NT by Quétinbec 10/30/2008, 9:34pm PDT
Re: You guys are assholes. by motherfuckerfoodeater 10/30/2008, 8:28am PDT
WRONG. by Zsenitan 10/30/2008, 12:33pm PDT
Re: You guys are assholes. by Quétinbec 10/30/2008, 9:33pm PDT
This is all the "Self-Help" you will ever need. by Mischief Maker 10/30/2008, 9:57pm PDT
Re: You guys are assholes. by Zsenitan 11/01/2008, 10:10am PDT
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart by Fussbett 10/30/2008, 11:29am PDT
I love Earth's self help books. The more of them I digest, the easier it is for by me to hide amongst you! - Exthok 10/30/2008, 11:54am PDT
I like Exthok, he seems like a regular guy. NT by laudablepuss 10/30/2008, 12:31pm PDT
I, too, would like to hang out with him. NT by Moog 10/30/2008, 1:27pm PDT
How can you hang out with people you're not even real you dont have hands NT by The Breadman 03/09/2009, 4:47pm PDT
Stop, you'll make him cry. :( by laudablepuss 03/09/2009, 4:51pm PDT
He has very sensitive feelings (because he is such a nice wonderful person/cow). NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 03/09/2009, 5:00pm PDT
Also because I was not circumcised by Moog 03/09/2009, 6:53pm PDT
Not circumsized much like myself (mary sue mary sue mary sue mary sue). by Creexuls, a monster >:3 03/09/2009, 7:23pm PDT
My psychiatrist makes me buy self-help books all the time, with my own money! by Jerry Whorebach 10/30/2008, 9:56pm PDT
Re: You guys are assholes. by The Breadman 03/09/2009, 4:50pm PDT
Re: I have homework! by FABIO 10/28/2008, 3:01pm PDT
You're being glib. Don't be glib, FABIO. NT by Tom Cruise 10/28/2008, 6:26pm PDT
Is this like dancing at work? :( NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 10/28/2008, 3:50pm PDT
Re: Is this like dancing at work? :( by Rafiki 10/29/2008, 11:48am PDT
HORRIBLE :( NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 10/29/2008, 11:57am PDT
Yes yes y'all, we don't stop, get creative y'all, rock on! by Fussbett 10/29/2008, 1:40pm PDT
This is a good spot to re-archive infogrames.mp3 by Fussbett 10/29/2008, 1:42pm PDT
Honourable mention: Police rap by Fussbett 12/14/2008, 2:50pm PST
The company I work for now is so awesome, our corporate videos are good. by Fullofkittens 12/14/2008, 3:48pm PST
So your music is actually a job. NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 12/14/2008, 4:19pm PST
No. NT by Fullofkittens 12/19/2008, 1:04pm PST
Re: Yes yes y'all, we don't stop, get creative y'all, rock on! by E. L. Koba 03/09/2009, 3:59pm PDT
The Gazprom Song by E. L. Koba 06/19/2009, 3:54pm PDT
The chorus of the biggest Russian corporation song is all about drinking. Parod NT by Fussbett 06/19/2009, 4:14pm PDT
I hope they do a new song for the joint venture with Nigeria's NNPC by Fussbett 07/02/2009, 10:25am PDT
Southern Food Brokerage by "The Superbroker Shuffle" 05/03/2012, 3:53pm PDT
Microsoft Developer Conference 2012 by E. L. Koba 06/10/2012, 12:15pm PDT
Re: Yes yes y'all, we don't stop, get creative y'all, rock on! by Last 09/07/2012, 2:33pm PDT
Oh I meant to add this one, too. by Last 09/07/2012, 2:36pm PDT
Bain & Company by Fussbett 09/27/2012, 9:30am PDT
Blackberry (AIM LOG FATE) by Fussbett 09/27/2012, 9:54am PDT
Guy on AIM mocks RIM by Fussbett Returns 09/28/2012, 1:48pm PDT
Haha just saw this. by FSBT 01/31/2013, 11:44pm PST
Microsoft Sweden by E. L. Koba 04/25/2021, 1:31pm PDT
Oh hey it's the Anti-Life Equation how nice by Entropy Stew 11/01/2008, 1:19pm PDT
Re: Is this like dancing at work? :( by Last 10/24/2012, 11:10am PDT
For the second year in a row, I have not filled out my CORPORATE_ACRONYM survey by Entropy Stew 10/28/2008, 11:53pm PDT
My job wants me to read books about how to do my job better. :( by Fullofkittens 11/01/2008, 10:35am PDT
OH MAN I READ MY OTHER BOOK A FEW WEEKS BACK by Rafiki 12/19/2008, 12:08pm PST
Guess who's got two thumbs, a noose, a stool and is running the book club at his by Ice Cream Jonsey 04/28/2015, 3:10pm PDT
Re: Guess who's got two thumbs, a noose, a stool and is running the book club at by Chillum 04/28/2015, 4:21pm PDT
This I am going to read for pleasure. NT by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/09/2015, 10:40pm PDT
Is this for coders, non-coders, or a mix? by Fullofkittens 04/28/2015, 5:58pm PDT
The Art of Computer Programming. The 120 Days of Sodom by Rafiki 04/28/2015, 9:15pm PDT
Managing Humans? by The Happiness Engine 05/03/2015, 5:16pm PDT
I love rands by HUGALUGHAGLUGH 05/04/2015, 8:22pm PDT
I'm not ready to believe that's the JerkCity guy yet. That site is incredible. NT by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/09/2015, 10:39pm PDT
JERKCITY is a collaborative effort by HANFORD in Stall #3 05/09/2015, 11:40pm PDT
Re: Guess who's got two thumbs, a noose, a stool and is running the book club at by Mr. Kool 05/04/2015, 8:32pm PDT
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