If you’re part of the Millenial or GenY factions in society who whine when some nitwit gets fired for posting something stupid online, it’s time to stop cowering behind your collective sense of superiority, dump the labels that guide your actions, and join the rest of us who take responsibility for our actions and who know that an 8th place finish isn’t worthy of a Blue Ribbon.
She’s 30 years old and her picture was taken by her 38 year-old boss. Both were fired (more here). Outrage by those who are not attorneys yet Freedom of Speech experts aside, all you need to do to figure out why their employer gave these two pink slips is to look at the Board of Directors of “Living Independently Forever”; see why the employees were fired?
These two weren’t born stupid but they sure were raised stupid – to a degree by their parents, their school systems, by the friends they associate with, by the social platforms that allow someone to be more outrageous than the next person then be RT’ed or Liked by others, and by the belief that private means private. In other words, they allowed themselves to be stupid.
At their ages, it makes sense that at least one neuronal element would have figured that at the very least taking the picture was in bad taste. Another neuronal element should have fired back with “No, no, no” as they were about to press when posting the picture to Facebook (another reason for Facebook quickly becoming the global repository for stupid). A final neuronal element should have flicked on the light switch when the posters reiterated their belief that “Oh, my Privacy settings will ensure that this remains private.”
For those who believe that nothing is sacred (read the Gawker comments) or that what “someone does on their personal time” is immune from “social laws”, please keep in mind that the human cost of all US Wars since 1776 is somewhere in the vicinity of 1.3 million Americans KIA and 1.6 million Americans wounded. Whether you believe it or not, you simply wouldn’t be able to make an ass of yourself or be a hipster or post stupid to Facebook or listen to the music of your choice if it weren’t for Americans putting themselves in the paths of bullets. At the very least, if you’re going to learn to respect something in this life respect those who died in creation of this great country – or for that matter, any great Democracy (please don’t bore me with the faults of our system; it will always be a work in progress and you can both vote and run for office if you want to do more).
Now…should these two have been fired? Absolutely not. I would have made them volunteer at a VA Hospital for a good period of time and write about their experiences. Helping to clean the amputated stumps of soldiers who lost limbs, console those with TBI and PTSD, change the bed linens of those who are permanently bedridden all come to mind.
While we must be intolerant of abject stupidity, we must also be tolerant of people who have yet to learn the real meaning of being an American. Since Civics is no longer taught in schools, some people just take longer.
My question is now What will it take for this social nincompoopery to make a turn off the roadway that leads to a one-thousand foot cliff?
The Recruiting Inferno 
Could they possibly have insulted more people if they had tried. I would have fired both of them and made it a point to post a picture of me firing them and why.
Over 50 thousand of my generation did not come back from Viet Nam and twice that many who did come back , came back so damaged that they were never the same. These idiots should learn the difference between “Free Speech” and “Fighting Words”. Not to mention that nothing posted on the net is ever to have the expectation of privacy.
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@Sandra – I’m wondering why so many believe that just because a website has a Privacy policy it really means “private.” Actually, I know why – it’s called the “fine print” – if folks would read the fine print, they’d know what privacy in the Internet Age means.
On some level, this reminds me of a 13 year old claiming that their Constitutional rights were violated because their parents read a text that was on the cell phone they provided – and are footing the bill – to the kid.
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I think that a lot of them have grown up so hyperconnected that everything they do is geared toward something they can blog about or take a picture of and slam it on the net. Almost like working at thinking up assinine things to do or say so they have something to “share”.
One thing about it. These two will have a great time telling their next prospective employer that they got their pictures taken as the two most insulting idiots of 2012. Oh, and ladies it’s not private unless you keep it that way. Private means you don’t open your ignorant pie hole or post your picture doing whatever it is that is best left between those you speak with in person. The term jackwagonettes comes to mind.
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Great post Steve. As I write in my new social media book – how “private” is private when it’s shared with 250 “friends?” #watchwhatyoushare
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They are members of Club Idiocy. However, I would have become a spontaneous charter member because if she had bent over in front of me, I would have kicked her hiney down to JFK’s gravesite…before the honorable Old Guard did their duty and hauled us all away…but it would have been worth it for me. :)
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First thought – your blog is magnificent. Second thought – I didn’t dare show the picture to my WWII veteran Dad (especially with his beloved NY Giants in a slump). My friend Sandra – see above – is spot on…sure is going to suck being this “poor little 30 year old” as she attempts to explain why she was fired from her previous job.
Still – while it’s easy to condemn bad behavior whether it’s by a supposed adult or an entire nation that came up with the idea of an internment camp for Americans of Japanese ancestry – I think in the end if we don’t use these as learning experiences, far too many will make the same mistake in the future.
Give these members of Club Idiot jobs in a VA Hospital; in fact, I sure wish their local VA would reach out and hire them. After a few weeks on the job, I guarantee they’ll never flip off veterans again.
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Well, if the VA hospital did bring them on, I can only hope they don’t meet your father – or any other WWII vet – while mentioning they were the “ones at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”. :) But I do in heart agree with your recommendation… ;)
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