I have to say I agree with most of the descriptions about what is going
on in the museum work places. Although I want to make the point that I don't
agree with many of the remedies offered to young graduates. Unless we want
to force them to accept the life-style of Tommy, as laid down by
Pete Townsend in his rock opera, that life is a gamble on a pin ball machine,
I will not give in to the Puritan logic of "game over - please try again".
Looking through the reposts I found that more than one "player" has already
spend all his nickels. Or worse, has been playing with borrowed money. If
getting a job in the museum "industry" has become a game only for addicts who
dare to put grandma's house at stake, it will have serious implications.
And I could argue that having job lotteries instead might be more wholesome
and in line with our democratic systems. Unfortunately more and more companies
and consequently museums too, are expecting their could-be work force to sell
out their own ideas and buy into the company ideology. They become ever more
like little countries, not just in the amount of power they have over peoples
lives, but in the way they expect their employees even in lower and unpaid (!)
jobs, to sign up to a whole set of values and show total loyalty. At the same
time they are expected to accept of not being hired or when hired of loosing
their jobs without having employment rights. Everybody a pasdaran, do we assist
at the slow Khomeinisation of the Free World? Certainly we have (and the
discussion on this forum proves it) huge insecurity out there. Graduates who
burn with the desire to manifest the convictions of their generation in the
cultural institutions of our countries are advised to downgrade and streanline
themselves to the expectations *not* of BigBrother but to unanimous market
forces. We tell them that their studies and diplomas have little more value
than a "certificate of excellence" given to the month's best meat ball
"preparator" at BigMcDonalds down the high street. We expect them to be happy
if they are allowed to work at the museum's cafeteria for pocket money.
Was this intended by: the right to the pursuit of ones own happiness?
"Sour grapes?"- may be it is the Americanized forerunner and the contemporary
adaptation of that French queen's suggestion: Let them eat cake! We know what
happened shortly afterwards.


Thoralf Eppen
NEMEA
Av. de la Couronne 412
1050 Brussels
Belgium