Social Climbers and the Ones Above Them

People change and yet they don't. Sigh, how's that for a starting sentence? I mean that their core personality really doesn't change over the years, only the volume of them gets turned down as they age. Mine has. Everyone I know has had their volume turned down to “3” instead of blasting at “10" when we were 19.

I was watching the Today Show, sort of, when I noticed something I saw at a high school reunion. The hosts, Morales, Geist, Roker and Hall were falling over one another to take the “lead” in some project they had to accomplish, each trying to outdo the other, each trying to be exec in charge. It “looks” helpful but it's just a subdued and hidden vicious competition. They were all talented at it. I began to wonder if they were exactly this way in high school? Probably so....

At my last high school reunion, I saw this very same behavior occur when someone suggested we all take a class photo for the school's alumni website. At once, all of the top, A-List girls who were the most popular in our senior class sprang immediately to the challenge. They were moving tables, chairs, and trying to herd us into an alcove so we'd all “fit” within the picture frame. Funny thing though, it was only the women who were doing this. The A-List guys from our class didn't seem to care a whit. The A-List men had beer guts and seemed far more interested in moving slowly as they could.

A problem arose when the A-List girls couldn't figure out how to use a SLR digital camera. The grumbling from us in the alcove started to get a bit louder. One of us mentioned to me, “Jesus, they never grew up, they're still the same.” Finally I shouted to Jill, “Jill, there's an “automatic” setting, use that! It'll focus, flash and do it all for you!. It's probably the “green” setting on the dial!”

The pics were finally snapped and we all dispersed back to our h'orderves and drinks. I then watched a bit as the A List Girls buzzed around like bees trying to get names and locations of all of us as we were in that picture. Again, each one was trying to outdo the other as to how to do this properly. As one became Queen, the others would find ways to oust her by coming up with a better idea.

They were 48 years old...it's been a while since the Prom.

**

I once talked to an admin guy, his job was to motivate, manage and direct a bunch of bank managers under his control. He told me that part of the interview process not only included the screens for typical experience, recommendations and such, but also did a bit of a sly psychological test on them. He asked about their high school experience and teased out of them if they were ever in the top echelon. He told me he wanted just those who were just that.

He went on to say that they were easily controlled and motivated to outdo one another.

“I pit them against one another, to compete, to gain the most profit from their particular branches. They're like Pavlov's Dogs, I ring my bell and they salivate.”

He also told me that creating a culture within that group was fairly easy. He made it known, sort of covertly, that he loved seeing his managers always striving, always breaking records...in anything.

“One guy was taking flying lessons to “improve”. Another was enrolled in a bike race around Lake George and I told him I hoped he would win, not just finish, but WIN.”

“None of this has anything to do with increasing profit, gaining more customers, coming up with “sticky” products to keep customers there, it all has to do with stoking their knee jerk desire to be First. I hold out the King or Queen of the Prom crown and they all want it.”

“You cynical bastard.” I thought.

I also thought that the A-List in our school who rose to the ranks of managerials and if they knew they were marionettes on strings?