The sheer joy of not giving a damn
Praise for mediocrity: Dallas company peddles antidotes to office bromides
By JOHN GREENWOOD
The Financial Post
For those who believe that laziness is its own reward, that success is for suckers, and that there is just too much motivational mumbo-jumbo around, the modern workplace can be a tough slog. But relief is at hand. Despair Inc., a company in Dallas, has created a line of demotivational calendars and desk knick-knacks guaranteed to disabuse you of any notion that you might be able to "improve" yourself, or in any way better your chances in the rat race of life.
"The sad fact is that not everyone wins, cares or even tries," writes E.L. Kersten, Ph.D., an oddly upbeat-looking man identified on the company's Web page as its founder and chief operating officer.
The product line includes a series of visually stunning lithographs, including one of a great rock protruding from the sea. "It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others," runs the caption. Another lithograph, this one of a skier flying through the air upside down, carried the admonition: "Ineptitude: If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly."
And a third poster has the Leaning Tower of Pisa above the caption: "Mediocrity: It takes a lot less time and most people won't notice the difference until it's too late."
Somewhat less auspicious but perhaps more amusing is the Despair calendar, whereon are marked history's greatest failures (Van Gogh cuts his ear off -- Dec. 23, 1888; Rick Dee's song Disco Duck hits number one in the charts -- Oct. 16, 1976; the Millennium Bug knocks out computer systems worldwide -- Dec. 31, 1999).
The company has a sense of humour, but only to a point. It warns that any unauthorized copying of its designs will be dealt with by its lawyers, who presumably do not share the company's views on failure.
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