Honestly, when I was reading George Orwell’s 1984, I really didn’t have a grasp of what propaganda looked or felt like, and certainly not how it could be effectively used to basically brainwash citizens. But now I regularly receive “propaganda” from my own government (so generously paid for by ME), like this little gem shown below.
It starts out in what looks like a feel-good piece about Dads, just in time for Father’s Day. Then rapidly spirals out of control into a government-forced-intrusion into corporate America demanding “workplace flexibility.” We won’t need unions much longer with “Big Government” on our side writing workplace rules.
I especially like the line graph showing how work-family conflicts have significantly risen for men since 1960. As if the work-family conflicts are due to a lack of workplace flexibility, and having more flexibility is going to fix that. Do you think they factored in “women’s lib”? That changed the fabric of our society and the very foundation of how men and women interact. Of course there’s more conflict! Prior to 1960, women played a much different role. Men worked. Women tended the home and children. With dual-income families, the roles are not as cut-and-dry.
As an employee, I love having flexibility in the workplace. As an employer, we made every attempt to accommodate our employees, not because of productivity, but because it was the right thing to do. But it should not be government mandated. The more government intrudes in business affairs, the fewer people will be willing to risk starting a business, and that means fewer job.
Government needs to butt out! No one is FORCED to work anyplace. If an employer isn’t a good place for employees, word will get out and people won’t want to work there. Stop with the mandates, let people be grown ups and take responsibility for their own actions. If you don’t like where you work, go find another job!
PS. Did anyone else notice the complete absence of any mention of same-sex family structures in this graphic? Faux-pas?
You can view a larger version of the complete graphic on Whitehouse.gov
