We all know what the "Peter Principle" is. (My apologies to those people named Peter.) In general, the "Peter Principle" is when a person reaches his or her highest level of incompetency. In one way, or another, we have probably all reached our individual "Peter Principles" along the path of life. I do not believe that even young adults can escape attaining multiple "Peter Principles". This distinction can come at any point or in any occupation. Even tasks, hobbies and interests are not immune from some form of incompetency. For me, the litmus test is whether or not I can sense that I may be approaching my highest level of incompetency before I reach the pinnacle of embarrassment - both to me and others.
Today's comic strips for "Dilbert" and "Get Fuzzy" showcase impending or attained "Peter Principle" grand prizes. In "Dilbert", the boss announces to ASOK that he has been named "Employee of the Month", which according to the text, was in October of 1929. In other words, the distinction is meaningless and farcical and may imply that ASOK has already reached his "Peter Principle" pinnacle. In "Get Fuzzy", the cat, Bucky, who is always dissing the dog, Satchel, has declared that he can be "Batcat" because he found a dead bat and can use the wings to empower him to become "Batcat". Poor Satchel, the dog, who is often portrayed as seemingly dim-witted, -informls Bucky that the wings are too small and, besides, "Batman had a tool belt with cool tools." The next frame shows Bucky, the cat, donning a tool belt that may weigh two or three times the cat's weight. He puts on the belt and promptly falls over backward, telling the dog, as he lays prone, "I forgot scissors. Go get me some scissors."
Isn't Bucky, the cat, like many of us? We know the bat wings are too small and that our belt is too heavy but we continue to ask for, invite, or allow more tools to be put on our belt and suddenly we discover that we can no longer remain upright. Is this not a form of personal-Peter Principle? How is it that we cannot recognize the signs of impending "Peter-Principle Disorder"?
I am hoping that "Get Fuzzy" will show us how to escape this age-old disorder and am hopeful that the solution does not involve a live bat.
Ancora imparo
