|
 |
C for Conscience
Hello You, Superego, to use Freud's own words. Been busy. Haven't had time to think about You or to remember that You are there. My days are filled with fast-paced projects. eBusiness, venture capital – remember Columbus and Queen Isabella? – and all kinds of hustle and bustle. Important. Very important. Very very important.
But this is a dark and stormy night. I can't sleep. You are keeping me awake! I mentioned to you that you don't bother me during daytime. In a way, during the day You have left the building. There is no sign of You in the batter's box. All right, we do talk about ethics in the business world. Natural selection and such things, but, comme tu sais, it's all that same nonsense which sounds good in black and white. We can talk all we want, but what we really want are profits, and we want them as quickly as possible.
What are You? You have been called the voice of God and classified as the voice of society. Socrates spoke about his daimon. It never came straight out to tell what to do, but it did warn you when you were making bad decisions.
By the way, I have interesting news for you from the firm's arts and crafts people. A very talented slime ball – I never speak his name, not even to You – can paint Edelfelt's and Scherfbeck's paintings so good that they would've fooled Edelfelt and Scherfbeck themselves. Now we take baby steps, and no problems! I'll tell you more after Sotheby's. Something annoys me, though. I had a breakdown in my brain functions, thought that a Fourmark was a funny way of describing a real Nelimarkka work and bought the darn forgery myself. My wife still has no idea about this thing – and then some – even though I have called the painting the Nelimarkka Superdollar.
The trouble and strife is asleep. Our offspring are slumbering in their beds. I close my eyes, and nothing happens. I have often reminded You that I am a first-class piece of work. Yet, you're not satisfied! You go on and on about “honesty” all the time. You even reprimand me about the deals we made in Africa. Yes, those drugs were old and expensive, but what do you expect? We venture capitalists must make all the money we can. Hey, You did look the other way once before – remember the penicillin business in Vienna? Please, do the same this time and let me sleep.
TEXT: Jaska Poranen
TRANSLATION: Laura Katajisto
UPDATED: Sunday, 10-Mar-2002 20:40:16 EET
<< top
|
