trying to grok

Those wacky French! All this time we had it wrong, you're not supposed to do what your boss tells you to do.

I would have liked to have heard the context. It is either pretty funny or not funny at all, depending on whether we are supposed to be thinking about cases where the boss is only making reasonable, work-related demands or cases where the boss is asking for, let's say, sex. It is probaboy the former; I'm as ready as anyone to call the French whacky. I'm familiar with a lot of cases in this country, though, where people have been sacked after refusing to follow orders that were neither reasonable nor job relevant.

You're familiar with LOTS of cases in this country? You're a freaking human resources tech at Total Fina SA? Yes, I'm sure you are very familiar with complex labor laws IN FRANCE and their application and some common abuses of that system...Or you're just a tool who has to say something contrary on this blog all the damn time. Hmmm...yeah I'm gonna go with the latter. FAMILIAR and LOTS smell and awful lot like bullshit to me.

I'm declaring shenanigans!

Joe-
I am familiar with a lot of cases in "this country," as in the U.S. You're right; I know very little about the labor situation in France, and nothing about cases of bosses making illegitimate demands on workers. My point was just that when you say "You've got to do what the boss says," you always have to qualify that, at least in your mind, with the phrase "as long as it ia reasonable, job-related demand."

It is not buillshit, though, when I say that I know about a pretty good number of cases in this country. I've never given any indication on here of who I am or what I do for a living, and I don't think I'll start now. I'll let my arguments stand o fall on their own. Suffice it to say, though, that questions of illegal and unethical labor practices fall within the purview of my job.

Pericles,

I'm sure your comment wouldn't have been taken the way it was if you weren't ALWAYS debating with Sarah. Every once in a while, it would be nice for you to just say, "Good point, Sarah." (And leave it at that) I do enjoy hearing your opinions...but throw her a damn bone for chrissakes. It's difficult to be criticized over and over and over. And I think we are all pretty clear on where you stand on a lot of issues...so saying something nice won't make us doubt where you are coming from. Seriously.

Erin-

I'll make you a deal. I'll contribute one post where I agree with something Sarah says, and leave it at that, for each time that you post a comment that disagrees with something she says, and leave it at that. :)

Seriously, I'm sorry if I have crossed any lines in my posts here. I may not agree much with Sarah or most of the other commentators, but I've tried very hard not to remain civil and not to make any personal comments about anyone. If I didn't think that most of the people here were intelligent and willing to listen to people who disagree with them, I wouldn't bother posting or even reading. I've never thought that I was criticizing people by disagreing with them. To my mind, expressing reasoned disagreement with someone, instead of just scoffing at them, is kind of a compliment.

Pericles,

Fortunately, I'm friends with Sarah...so whenever I disagree with her, I'm able to say it to her face. It doesn't happen very often, but I sure do let her know when it does (and it has happened fairly recently). The difference is that I make a point of telling her when I agree with the way she groks something...

I think you are a pretty respectful person. I enjoy hearing about other peoples' opionions just as much as the next guy...but I also like to see warm and fuzzy comments to a friend that I think deserves them. Do whatever you want, dude. It is, as they say, a free country...Yay for that.