Friday, December 09, 2005

Complacent with their majesty


Answers.com gives the definition of arrogance as "overbearing pride." Pride is more fully defined as:

pride
n.
  1. A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect.
  2. Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association: parental pride.
  3. Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness.
    1. A cause or source of pleasure or satisfaction; the best of a group or class: These soldiers were their country's pride.
    2. The most successful or thriving condition; prime: the pride of youth.
  5. An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit.
  6. Mettle or spirit in horses.
  7. A company of lions.
  8. A flamboyant or impressive group: a pride of acrobats.
Arrogance is an interesting concept. It seems to be fairly polarizing: most say they either admire a little arrogance in someone or despise the quality altogether. I was having a conversation earlier with someone whom I think is a pretty good judge of such things and he echoed what is essentially an ancient concept: pride cometh before the fall.

I believe myself to be arrogant -- to the point that I jealously guard my pride in something I know I'm good at or that I've worked for. I feel a sense of entitlement. It is the nature of our culture I suppose. I'm grateful I'm afforded the leisure to have such a thing as a sense of entitlement. Except...

We (in my office) have been interviewing folks for a student worker job, and a professional, foot-in-the-door one at that. The resumes we received were exemplary and, having interviewed 4 of the 6 candidates, I'm struck by the maturity of these kids (I certainly was NOT that mature at 21...). They amaze me. And then I have to slowly let it sink in that these kids -- who are computer programmers and world travelers -- are very likely regretting even applying when they spend 20 minutes listening to the babble of my perpetually insecure, over-compensatingly arrogant co-workers who have no idea the genius of the wizards sitting across from them. These kids who have spent months in Spain attempting fluency while at the same time designing websites that allow campuses across the country to trade textbooks, or have worked opening bids for local governments while planning a mission trip to Northwest Africa, they are not impressed with your need to advise them of what they can expect in the "real" world. Um, they've been out there man. And, judging by what I know of you, learned more about that world than you have in your 40 or 50 plus years. So shut it!! This interview isn't about YOU -- can't you tell that by the glazed look in the eye of the candidate that I would very much like to have working for us but am afraid that if I contact them with an offer they'll turn me down based on your rambling talk about how much their dream job at Ernst & Young will make them a lot of money but will stress them out. Um and you know because...? Oh, I forgot, you once knew someone who knew someone who might have worked there. Look, these kids are as smart as you are clueless, and if they list this company as their career goal I bet they've done some research. That's what appropriately confident people do. And by the way, you're embarassing yourself. It's no wonder that the "demotivational" poster above is so funny. It follows the very first rule of funny -- it's true.

posted by Lola @ 2:26 PM

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