Comments on: Working at Netflix and Ayn Rand

By: Tom the Burninator

Tom the Burninator — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:57:09 +0000

I think the premise with Ayn Rand is that only a few will rise to the top while the rest of the people will be working schlubs, working for the man.

After, that’s how it is in reality, isn’t it?

By: dave

dave — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:25:38 +0000

you missed one important word: “Perceived.”

they’re not asking you to forget that. but when you work in companies, it *is* important that everyone feels like they’re all working toward the same thing — to make the company better. Of course everyone is going to be doing things in their self-interest to some extent, but the *perception* of shared goals is pretty critical.

Which, incidentally, is one of my biggest problems with ayn rand: it’s hard to imagine ever wanting to work with howard roark.

By: jake

jake — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:10:16 +0000

I’d like to apply for that job, I am very selfish and willing to work hard at being selfish. how’s the pay?

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:55:15 +0000

I read somewhere that Buddhism and Ayn Rand may not reconcile on several issues but they do on one, your happiness is up to you.

So many companies say this, “if you think of XYZ, XYZ will think of and reward you.” That’s a load of BS as I watch companies layoff their best workers because its in the best interest of their shareholders.

I used to work for a small company that had the Ayn Rand philosophy, if you worked hard and made the client happy, you got bonuses, some very large indeed. It weeded out the weak and I would see on average 10 people in the office working on Saturday or Sunday’s (10 out of a total of 60). That all went to hell when we were sold and XYZ’s CEO came in and said “if you think of XYZ, XYZ will take care of you.”