Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Silver Wedding Wrapping Paper

"Arbeit macht frei!" / Modern version of Auschwitz's "Work Sets You Free"?

Today, I had a job interview at an Augsburg "company time" - at least that's what it Seemed, first. -
Excurse: In Germany, currently there is a plague of false/"incomplete" job offers. Some want you to get the labour bureau provide a state-funded $-coupon to search for you, but often all connections they have lead to short callcenter-sweatshop jobs. In case you get a contract there as an "office employee", the state grants a subsidy to the company, and that's the business. Others provide no open jobs at all, just offer to "coach" you for your own $ - so you get lured to their office under false pretext. And a few mean honest. I'm not saying neccessarily has to be something bad; this entry is not about conclusions.

The company of regard advertises with a slogan which ~obviously in a "funny way" seems to be derived from Auschwitz' concentration camp's "Arbeit macht frei!". They name it "Arbeit macht sexy!" or in German English "Work makes sexy!" ("Work sets you free!"). The mod doesn't make it much better: In German, though there certainly are similar sayings like "sour makes [you] funny", but that's something different and don't really apply, here. - The "advising" gesture, a message like as if you didn't know work could make you look good... , let alone the start-phrase which is a business no-go in our country (in respect to what happened/the Holocaust), and the well-known old "Third Reich"-colors black-red-white, big wall-chart, even on their business card, etc. - all that suggests something quite creepy.



Complete material in a zip file

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When you face the realities in Germany today, it kind of feels like that expresses some parts. Modern anti-Semitism is widespread here, again, and it's somehow known that if you look different or ask questions, you soon look like shit. Because you'll have a hard time as these days, so many young types make career based on the pledge to be hyper-innovative, and to do what one's told - suggesting others were not , so that whoever is different has to face the prejudices. - Scapegoating often has an anti-Semitic touch: The other one looks old, not successful, negative energy , whatever. And therefore needs a kick in the ass to get him change. That's said nowhere, and I don't suggest neccessarily applies, to the above example. - But in such a climate, the style of immoral advertising says a lot between the lines. That's what I mean.

Anyway, this sort of business behavior is disgusting, offensive at least, and it suggests who doesn't look sexy -> doesn't work , right? In case you're interested in more material, feel free to visit the company website .

Btw. the outcome of my little job-interview: I just left after being handed a contract saying I would agree to pay 25 EUR (~34$) plus unspecified expenses, and at the same time (in bold) assuring me I would not enter into any obligation if I'd sign this paper, plus some legal dispute between imprecisely pointing at the company and the German federal employment agency, Which could actually lead to them paying the whole amount of money, not you! LOL

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