The geese living in my backyard expect me to feed them. And being the soft-touch that I am, I occasionally do. But don’t imagine it’s a Disney-Moment, because it isn’t. Geese are cranky. The whole time I am tossing them bread crumbs, they are hissing at me. Even the babies. They run to within six inches of my feet, gaze at me with expectation, and between bites of food they threaten and complain. I would write this off as some sort of aberrant goose behavior, except I know people that are exactly the same way.
Companies advertise for our business but then treat us as if our presence in their store is an inconvenience to them. Bosses treat their employees with inconsideration and think the fact that they are paying the employees’ salary gives them the right to be insensitive. Employees happily cash their paycheck but complain all week about how much they hate their job. We take advantage of public highways, public schools and public parks but complain about paying taxes. We’ve elevated self- centered behavior and grouchiness to an art form.
Geese are not known for their intelligence and problem-solving skills, hence the old saying that someone is “as silly as a goose”. Biting (or hissing at) the hand that feeds you may make sense to you if you’ve got the brains of a goose, but it is silly, self-defeating behavior for a human and shows a dangerous lack of situational awareness.
Businesses that don’t respect their customers will eventually have no customers. Supervisors who are insensitive to employees drive down productivity and put the business at risk. Employees who complain about their jobs will eventually be replaced by those with a more positive attitude. Citizens who are unwilling to endure common sacrifices (such as taxes) will eventually be unable to benefit from common creations (like highways).
If you’re a “hisser”, you need to know that you are programming failure and dissatisfaction into your future. Now, is that what you really want?
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