Protreptic Paradox

'Excuse me, would you like some Protreptic?' Thursday I came accross a philosophical concept I hadn't heard of before: Protreptic. That's right. Even if it does sound like medication for a sore throat. I interviewed management philosopher, professor Dr.phil., Ole Fogh Kirkeby about various hindrances and obstacles we experience as human beings - and as managers. He opened his sweater and revealed a T-shirt with the word Protreptic written in capital letters accross his chest. Obviously a fan.

The purpose of this management coaching style, derived from the Sophistic direction of philosophy, is to 'turn people to their basic values and to force them to look at their entitlement to power and their criteria for the good life'. The purpose is to reduce potential misuse of power to the benefit of the employees and the company as such. Talking about value-based management! To turn people of power against themselves. A truly paradoxical scene.

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protreptic
http://www.cbs.dk/forskning_viden/institutter_centre/institutter/ckl/hoejreboks/arrangementer/friday_november_28_2008_09_00_00_am_protreptik_at_goere_vaerdier_virkelige
http://protreptik.com/litteratur.html

There Are Friends...

There are friends, and then there are friends. Some people stick around mainly for the merry-go-round. Some people stick around and know exactly what to say and do in all circumstances. This is what I found to be true once again this week. Thank you - you know who you are.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

They are back! The little annoying red hot chili peppers that were finally removed from the public online job database. The significance of them is to mark a particularly 'hot' job suggestion. Funnily enough these chili peppers were removed from my site once I complained about the unlawful handling of my privacy rights - and after letting the union know how the system is harassing people, mainly highly educated people with life-long job experiences, with the oddest job suggestions like servant in a hot dog stand, paper boy, parking servant, etc. But paradoxically the removal of them only lasted less than a week - and they are now back with 'hot' job suggestions like the ones you would suggest to uneducated people with little or no job experience. In the name of Globalization: what on earth is the point of this kind of harassing treatment of knowledge people?

For further information, see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/eliminate-middle-man

Character and Caliber

Sometimes you must go to persons and authorities of lesser importance to find real character and caliber. This is very much the case of the recently debated privacy problem with the demands of The National Labour Market Authority, read more here:

http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2009/01/trading-and-bartering-revival.html

This week I received an apology from the union for going against basic privacy rights under both Danish and European laws. There had been more complaints. I can only encourage the union and the media to pursue the issue - in order to bring it back on track. For the sake of everybody that are unknowingly pressured and threatened on their livelyhood - on unlawful grounds. Paradox: Odd thing, isn't it, that the national authorities know and respect these laws less than inferior authorities?

Trading And Bartering Revival

Imagine sitting in your comfy chair in the privacy of your own home. And then receiving a phone call from an employer from a small company looking for a new employee. Never having heard of the odd company he mentions - or him. Or imagine being disturbed by any number of small and odd companies on a similar hunt. Because he simply grabbed the white pages and began calling at random. This is very much the situation with the public online job database in Denmark. That is if The National Labour Market Authority in Denmark has its way with the latest directions to the (semi-private) unemployment funds, refunded by public means for their expenses.

The National Labour Marked Authority conducts an 'Or-Else policy' - that most unemployed people eat raw. That is, if they haven't checked their fundamental rights lately. You see, the authority administration demands that the unemployed register their private phone numbers in the online job database, so that employers can contact them directly. This database goes out not only to major, respected companies - but to thousands of small companies and traders. None of which you in your comfy chair would be able to detect the seriousness of. Or have any chance of checking. Without a system filter that is normal in any such databases. And where you can choose to inform your phone number - or not. But with the authority directions there is no if, but, or why about it. Not even an unlisted number or a rare and easily identifiable last name. There's only 'Or Else': if not, the authority demands via the unemployment funds that unemployment benefits be taken away again.

There is just one problem: the labour market authority is forgetting about both fundamental national laws, European laws, and conventions on data protection and privacy, that all protect the individual from being harassed by traders and barterers in the privacy of their own homes - be it on the physical address or by phone. Unless the individuals choose to inform their phone numbers or other person-identifiable informations themselves. And not under pressure or threats. This is actually illegal.

In other words: through the praxis of current government a revival of traders and barterers harassing people in the privacy of their own home has been re-introduced - through the job database back door. But that doesn't make it either legal or legitimate. This is the paradox of current government in Denmark. If only they respected the basic laws that are superior to the odd numbers they pull...

For further insight, please see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2009/01/things-to-do-in-2009-get-educated.html
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/eliminate-middle-man

Paradoxical News Is Back

Paradoxical News is back after a short hiatus - with more ironic events and paradoxical segments in the days to follow.

It Takes One to Tango

During my January break from Paradoxical News I partly exercised my rhetorical muscles and partly found that sometimes two in a tango is one too many...

From Writer To Journalist - And Back Again

Last night a friend and I attended the taping of a cultural tv-magazine, Autograf/Autograph on DR2. Just for the entertainment of it. And enlightenment. The guest of honour was Leif Davidsen, a former Soviet correspondent for Danish television - turned author on a permanent basis for the past ten years. The show was hosted by the ever energetic Clement Kjersgaard, shooting questions in all possible directions. When not handing over the microphone to members of the audience for questions.

Leif Davidsen had a lot to share, whether it be from his thriller novels or from his past experiences reporting from the Soviet Union or Cuba. One point was that more or less all journalists dream of writing The Great Thriller at some point. And that journalists had an advantage from their experiences with reporting and mediating. But that most of them fall into the trap of 'fact writing'. My paradoxical question was whether journalists reversely gain anything from having worked as authors. From a former correspondent's point of view he wasn't convinced. He didn't like the fashion of bringing descriptive elements of fiction writing into journalism, such as is the case with for instance New Journalism. Viewers will just have to wait to hear and see him tell about the more interesting parts on this show when it airs.

For further information, see:
http://www.dr.dk/dr2/autograf
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/media-melt-down

The Middle East Win-Win Paradox

A standing joke when I worked at a chaotic work place some years back, was that a certain operations co-ordinator could handle anything. That absolutely nothing would be left unsolved on his shifts. Even peace in the Middle East.

Well, I think we have to call him back on the shift - to handle the realization of the two state solution in Israel. Why the massive killings in Gaza? And why mess up a peace process in the first place? Why not recognize the state of Israel? It's been there for more than sixty years. With conflicts for more than forty years. But within reasonable time there could even be two states - not having to bother each other. Why mess up a situation where all could be winners? A true Middle East win-win paradox.

Some Like It Flashy - Some Don't

'Why doesn't he just come forward and tell us when we have all figured it out?' a female friend asked me the other day. She was referring to one of our male acquaintances who - apparently - is gay. And she was obviously bewildered by the paradox of silence. I didn't really see the point of him coming forward. If he felt a need to do so, he would probably do it. Apparently he didn't.

I met him in company with a 'friend' at a concert some years back. Apparently they were in a relationship. It was all very subdued - understood. But whenever I have referred to this friend speaking with our acquaintance in common - I have had no trouble in just naming him 'your friend'.

Like I don't find a need to project a heterosexual status, he didn't find a need to flash a different sexual preference. Come to think about it: none of my heterosexual friends have ever 'declared' their sexual preferences to me. So why should the homosexual friends do so, unless they feel like it? Some like it flashy - some don't. Just another people paradox.

Things To Do in 2009: Get Educated!

Eat less, exercise more - stop smoking. Did you make your New Year's resolution - and plan to keep it this time around? Most resolutions seem to focus on personal fitness and health. But here's a lady who doesn't need much introduction to the Danish educated elites, but may need a little one to others: Ms. Marlene Wind is a Ph.d. and associate professor at the University of Copenhagen - leader of the Centre for European Politics. And she suggests a more ambitious set of resolutions. She has a bold plan.

So get over your hangover. In the Ideas section in the first edition of the (elitist) newspaper of Weekendavisen, she has a resolution for government officers and the elected ones: she wants them to get further educated in political science. And in constitutional and international laws. The reason for this is the much debated handling of court cases and passing of laws on a collision course with international laws and conventions. Paradox: didn't we elect these people because they were supposed to know their business of governing?

The trouble stems - in her opinion - from the majority form of democracy. If there's a majority - it must be good. Just like in the '30ies in Europe, she argues, referring to several dictators who came into power - elected by a majority of people. Instead she refers to constitutional democracy leaning more on national and international laws and conventions. As a safety valve. Well, there's one big thing to tick off on the 2009 To Do List. To get educated!

For further information, see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/12/another-caucus-race.html
http://www.cep.polsci.ku.dk/english/people/dokument18/