<![CDATA[Democracy Dies in H.R.]]>

New research sheds light on how mediocre employees help would-be authoritarians maintain power.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/americas/actually-democracy-dies-in-hr.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jVA.MwBQ.MAx8eyQrAuOT

...
In the absence of real data, researchers have tended to assume that [the employees] cooperate because of ideological extremism, fear of persecution or some combination of the two.

New research, drawing on an extraordinary data set from Argentina’s Dirty War in the 1970s and ’80s, suggests a very different explanation. It turns out that the kinds of career pressures familiar to employees everywhere — the desire to revive a stalled career or obtain a minor promotion — can be enough to incentivize lower- and midlevel officials to violate professional obligations, fundamental norms and even basic morality. The people who make those decisions, the research suggests, are neither extremists nor victims. They are often just middling workers looking for a way to get ahead.

Does that match your observations?

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/topic/39633/democracy-dies-in-h.r.RSS for NodeTue, 19 May 2026 11:47:07 GMTMon, 18 May 2026 19:45:54 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Democracy Dies in H.R. on Tue, 19 May 2026 01:47:53 GMT]]>

@Axtremus said:

The people who make those decisions, the research suggests, are neither extremists nor victims. They are often just middling workers looking for a way to get ahead.

Sounds like that came from the Nazis in World War 2.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362752https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362752Tue, 19 May 2026 01:47:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Democracy Dies in H.R. on Mon, 18 May 2026 23:19:04 GMT]]>Well that's the world of "hanging on in quiet desperation" of 21st century American capitalism. There's was the kind of hope of "if you work hard enough you can make it." at the end of the last century. that's gone now so all the workers now are just rats fighting for the last scrap of cheese. It's a meritocracy of the smartest and those just not up to it (smart but just not smart enough) are left behind. There was a place for them in the past--not so much today and so they are desperate and behave a desperate people behave. Kind of sad what America has turned into. We little band of brothers (and sisters) here on TNCR are a lucky few in the grand scheme of things. We're all "piano" kind of people--not to many people can discuss Chopin of Schubert at the drop of a hat. As we all know I just met Jon, as many of you have--can anyone doubt he's one of the most intelligent people we've ever met. We're all just lucky. Lots of other's aren't so much and can't quite cope. It's a little but sad that the American dream isn't for us all the way it used to be.

^^^^A rant! 😆

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362747https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362747Mon, 18 May 2026 23:19:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Democracy Dies in H.R. on Mon, 18 May 2026 20:55:53 GMT]]>Nah. It's why I went out on my own. I could be like NS and tell people to go fuck themselves.

Some people sell themselves very cheaply. I'm not one of them.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362743https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362743Mon, 18 May 2026 20:55:53 GMT