Free State Observer

I think I owe an apology to everyone I’ve ever pulled a high-and-mighty on for working for the government, or a government contractor, or a less-than-savory private organization. I’ve spent much of the last three days working for a nonprofit thinktank. A thinktank that provides services to the Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. I’ve leapt through various mental hoops, coming up with creative ways to justify this. *I’m* not killing anybody. *I’m* not building things that will kill anybody. I’m just helping people who, more than likely, tell the government how to more efficiently kill somebody. That’s not so bad, right? It’s like peeling potatoes in a Nazi kitchen. Potatoes don’t hurt anybody! And everybody’s got to eat. Right? Ummm… Anyway, at least it’s only going to be two weeks worth of Nazi potato peeling.

I’m reminded of a job I had, back in my mid-20’s, working graveyard shift one week for the IRS in a tax check processing center. Politics aside, it was probably the worst job I ever had. I was half psychotic by the end of the week. Wrote a song about it. Wanna hear it? Here it is.

****
Punch it in, early morning, coffee crash low
Slam another cup and you’re ready to go
Got your smile frozen on
And a gleam in your eye
Multinaticorporate cutie-pie
Information matron on the 20th floor
21st century whore.

Sit right down, turn the terminal on,
And become a good, dutiful automaton.
Keep your eyes on the screen
And your hands on the keys
‘Til your head starts to pound
And you’re stiff in the knees
Not even sure what you’re doing it for
21st century whore.

Milling and shuffling with the rest of the herd
Every day get a little more inured
Run and hide in a stall
Ten minutes of relief
You’re an overtrained, underpaid slab o’ beef
Time’s almost up, then it’s back for more
21st century whore.

It makes perfect sense
Submission to co-option is the best defense
Cut out the middleman, sell yourself for more!

[guitar wailing here]

Struttin’ your stuff, lookin’ cool and mean
In a suit of silk and gabardine
You’ve got all the moves
You’re smokin’ now
Climbing through the ranks to be number one cow
Shake it for me, baby, sexy corporate boor
21st century whore.

21st century,
Living’ lap o’ luxury,
Upwardly mobile,
travellin’ in style….

Whore.