Greed is good. Just not for you.

Let's talk about greed.

Because the Walton family doesn't have enough yachts, vacation homes and collective wealth for the next 100 generations of future Waltons, they have instituted self checkout stands at their Temples of Conspicuous Consumption...er, I mean stores.

I know we in the creative industry are afraid of losing our jobs to AI, but Walmart employees are already losing their jobs. To customers. 

Next time you hear, "Clean up in Aisle 7",  they'll expect Joe Blow or Betty Bag O'Donuts (hat tip to Rob Schwartz) to grab a broom and mop. 

How pervasive is this trend? 

Well, the other night while watching TV and fumbling through the various streaming channels -- why do I have to do the work of finding a show? -- I stumbled across a new flock of shitty commercials. The one that stood out, and not because of any marketing genius, was a spot for a Payroll App.

Maybe you've seen it too. 

When it comes to the nuts and bolts, credits and debits of business, I'm no Warren Buffet. But if memory serves me right I did work with his sister-in-law decades ago when she ran a small editorial house in Santa Monica. I thought when they served us lunch she'd add a hot stock tip or mutual fund recommendation with the Cashew Chicken Salad, but that was not to be. 

Moreover, I have never claimed to comprehend the nuances of P&L, ROI, KPI, or any of that fancy Wharton School language. 

But if I understand this correctly, companies big and small, now expect us to take on our own Accounts Payable duties?

I got a taste of this responsibility-shirking while employed at Dollar Shave Club and again when I was a full timer at PayPal. 

Anytime I had a question or a need that would've have normally been the purview of HR was now met with: "Go to the company portal and find a link that will send you to another landing page and another link that will eventually explain all your dental benefits and why anesthesia is no longer paid for during Root Canals."

This was somewhat understandable during the Pandemic, or Plandemic for those of you still harboring idiotic fantasies of the Deep State or malevolent conspiracy theories regarding elite, globalist cabals (((Hebraic Seasonings))). But people, not me, but other people, are going back to offices and returning to normalcy.

Apparently, normalcy now means the HR Department will be shuttered. 

Don't know why they deducted $58.93 for FICA/MAMC/SS? Too bad.

Coworker sitting at the Long Table of Mediocrity™ has BO? Suck it up.

Expecting an office party for your 30th birthday? Go to Dave & Busters.

Makes you wonder, what else do our corporate overlords have on the chopping block in order to pad their pockets with more ill-gotten money.

Said it before and I'll say it again, I picked a good time to go into semi-retirement.