Compliments of Crashworks via Flickr

“Provide a great work environment and treat each other with dignity and respect” [Starbucks mission statement].

Individuals who make it “the Machiavellian way” provide a frightening glimpse into the mind of corporate mania, as Ringer explains in his book Winning through Intimidation: “Intimidation is the root to earning and receiving big money. I therefore decided that intimidation would be my first order of business; it would be the key to my usable philosophy” (Ringer, 1974). People like Ringer extol clawing as a method to obtain corporate goodies, a theme reinforced by Harmer in New Paths to God: “A motto for today is ‘look out for #1,’ that is first to think about ourselves and our interests. Our culture has spawned so much fear and anger that even the simplest acts of kindness go undone out of concern for the consequences” (Harmer, 2002). Turn the page…