I’ve shared ant-related humor before with this modern version of the fable of the ant and the grasshopper.
Now our six-legged friend makes an appearance in a joke that I received from an increasingly famous libertarian on the left coast.
It’s very amusing, so long as you’re willing to laugh at bureaucracy’s expansion and America’s decline. Enjoy.
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Want to know why we are still in a recession even though we have added
over 200,000 new federal employees in the past two years?
Simple, it’s not a good time to be an ant!
If you like this post, you will also enjoy this one and this one. Similar themes about the inefficiency of government and who pays the price.
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Welcome to all Instapundit readers! Your comments are great, especially about the creeping bureaucratization of corporate America. Yes, the same cartoon could apply to companies like GM.
[…] Kimmel and a clever one-liner from Craig Ferguson. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is very clever. Also, here’s a new element […]
[…] Click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for some bureaucrat […]
[…] Kimmel and a clever one-liner from Craig Ferguson. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is very clever. Also, here’s a new element […]
[…] Kimmel and a clever one-liner from Craig Ferguson. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is very clever. Also, here’s a new element […]
[…] If you want more, we have a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried […]
[…] If you want more, we have a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build […]
Dream House,
If your point is that large corporations can be bureaucratic, I totally agree. But if your point is that corporations are more bureaucratic than government, that’s getting a little wacko.
I have worked for both the government and the corp[orate sector, and believeme, the corporate sector is rife with paper-pushers and redundant acountants, IT staff, and HR people. These clowns spend so much money trying to save money, they actually cost themselves more money. It is amazing how inefficient a corporation becomes with the addition of bean counters and HR staff.
[…] bureaucrat humor, my collection includes a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build […]
WELL DONE, I myself CAN SERIOUSLY RELATE to this! I remember as a kid of the 1960s reading the ‘AESOP-type FABLES’ & watching TV of the time EDUCATING us to be PRODUCTIVE PARTICIPANTS in society & dreaming of the day when I would strike out on my own. Oh what DREAMS OF GRANDEUR …!
[…] If you want more, we have a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build […]
Why does the fly look like a fat mosquito?
[…] If my conclusion was too grim and pessimistic, you can cheer yourself up with another example of bureaucrat […]
[…] start. And if you want more, here’s a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried today to […]
[…] joke about government bureaucracy. Here’s a similar joke in picture form. And we find the same humor in this joke, but with a bit more build up. And now that I’ve given it some thought, there’s more bureaucrat […]
[…] Looking through my archives, I also found a joke about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build an […]
[…] also have jokes about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build an […]
[…] also have jokes about an Indian training for a government job, a slide show on how bureaucracies operate, a cartoon strip on bureaucratic incentives, a story on what would happen if Noah tried to build […]
It is just the same the whole world over. The state funded dental service here in the UK is collapsing due to this syndrome – is it possible to obtain a powerpoint copy of this – (with copyright on the slides of course) – It would be great to show at some of the meetings that I have to attend.
[…] If you want to enjoy bureaucrat humor, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and […]
[…] joke about government bureaucracy. Here’s a similar joke in picture form. And we find the same humor in this joke, but with a bit more build up. And now that I’ve given it some thought, there’s more […]
[…] also have this flowchart on bureaucratic operations which was probably developed at DHS or […]
[…] a good jab at the Post Office from Jimmy Kimmel. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is my […]
[…] I came across a different version from Dan Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC, and Lenore Hawkins of Meritas Advisors in […]
[…] a good jab at the Post Office from Jimmy Kimmel. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is my […]
[…] a good jab at the Post Office from Jimmy Kimmel. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is my […]
[…] a good jab at the Post Office from Jimmy Kimmel. And to see how government operates, we have the Fable of the Ant. But this Pearls before Swine cartoon strip is my […]
[…] if you like this type of humor, I also recommend the modern-day fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. And I’ve also posted a revised version of Green Eggs and […]
[…] if you like those, you’ll appreciate this modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a […]
I have worked for both the government and the corp[orate sector, and believeme, the corporate sector is rife with paper-pushers and redundant acountants, IT staff, and HR people. These clowns spend so much money trying to save money, they actually cost themselves more money. It is amazing how inefficient a corporation becomes with the addition of bean counters and HR staff.
[…] joke about government bureaucracy. Here’s a similar joke in picture form. And we find the same humor in this joke, but with a bit more build […]
[…] posts, I’ve shared the PC version of the story about the ant and the grasshopper, as well as the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. And I’ve also posted a revised version of Green Eggs and […]
[…] stories, here’s the PC version of the story about the ant and the grasshopper, as well as the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a […]
Welcome to Salmat.
[…] posts, I’ve shared the PC version of the story about the ant and the grasshopper, as well as the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. And I’ve also posted a revised version of Green Eggs and […]
[…] posts, I’ve shared the PC version of the story about the ant and the grasshopper, as well as the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. And I’ve also posted a revised version of Green Eggs and […]
[…] if you like those, you’ll appreciate this modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a […]
[…] already shared the PC version of the story about the ant and the grasshopper, as well as the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. Now it’s time for a revised version of Green Eggs and […]
[…] the joke about using two cows to explain various economic and political systems, and the modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a […]
[…] if you like those, you’ll appreciate this modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. Share this:TwitterFacebookPrintEmailMoreStumbleUponRedditDiggLike […]
[…] if you like those, you’ll appreciate this modern fable about bureaucracy, featuring an ant and a lion. Rate this: Share […]
So, is the lion hiring?
[…] but not least, this joke about bureaucracy is a good way to close. Rate this: Share […]
Cedric, I’ve been to all 3 of ur stores with the same story at all. Did the 3 stores all have a boss?????? Does the boss need a manager????? OR do the employee (ants) need a GOOD BOSS???????
I know this was suppose to be a joke but as i read it. Memories of what happen to our companies: Instead of promoting from within, they would hire outside COLLEGE graduates to be trained by the people that should have been promoted. FROM day one I knew that was the down fall of productions and more expensive unknowledge positions.
Why is our companies not promoting from within??????
[…] cartoon is good, but here’s another that is remarkable because it does capture the mindset that exists inside the government. GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); […]
Incredible! This is the Postal Service!
There are three insect grocery stores in my town. I went to the cheapest one to buy some pollen. But the line was really long because they only have one checkout ant–she was really great at her job, but she simply couldn’t handle the volume. So I went to the slightly more expensive one. At that store, everything was chaotic because they have a bunch of checkout ants, some good, some bad, but no one supervising them, so the lines were haphazard, some fast, some slow, and customers were milling around trying to get in the best line. Then I went to the third, slightly more expensive insect store: There they had a bunch of checkout people, some good and some bad, but also a manager, whose job it was to see that they all worked up to a certain standard. The lines there were orderly, predictable, and short. I paid slightly more for my pollen, but the service was worth it.
And let’s not forget the legal department to ensure the workplace is conforming to the massive regulations/hiring quotas.
[…] I came across a different version of the story from Dan Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC, and Lenore Hawkins of Meritas Advisors in […]
[…] I came across a different version of the story from Dan Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC, and Lenore Hawkins of Meritas Advisors […]
[…] Bureaucracy Humor, Probably Created by Somebody at Homeland Security or HUD […]
It applies to any bureaucracy. For even greater understanding of how bureaucracy’s inevitably lead to over-regulation and inefficiency– read “The Peter Principle”.
This is almost exactly what happened to the company I worked for when it become ISO 3000 certified. I ran a furnace and all it did was double the paperwork I had to do and some of it was redundant. They also had to hire people to write the ISO 3000 rules, all which were paid more then me. They got certified and the only difference is more paperwork and we no longer have any flexibility to change anything because this would mess up the standards.
“Yeah, that story sounds like any biggish corporation. Reminds me of Office Space.”
Didn’t you get the memo?
Corporations that are less efficient than competitors have a tendency to go poof, unless they are well connected like GM.
Governments are very much insultated against poof moments, but when they do, oh boy. See Greece.
But your ranting nonsense was soooo earnestly delivered, we will not mock you.
/pat head
Is this a real story on what is happening in Senegal? No, really. I am asking because it looks like the same.
Oh, ok. It is happening in the United States. It means that governments. all around the world, do the same stupid mistakes. Overstaffed.
I love this post and i will reblog it.
Mike – I disagree that corporate America “loves” paperwork. Most of the excess paperwork is to make sure there are ample paper trails to prove the company is in compliance with the innumerable government regulations or is a CYA maneuver to be prepared for potential lawsuits.
I think I worked there.
[…] a link to a parable. Intended to be about the government, I think, but relevant to any bureaucracy, including […]
Yeah, that story sounds like any biggish corporation. Reminds me of Office Space. Did you get the memo about the new cover sheet for the TPS reports?
“Note the passive-aggressive manner in which the author cites General Motors as an example of a corporation this could apply to, with a link to one of his blog posts (rightly) critical of Obama’s G.M. bailout.
Not-so-subtle message: never admit that private corporations behave stupidly, inefficiently, badly, etc. unless you can somehow blame it on the government.
These people probably think the comic strip “Dilbert” was inspired by the government sector.”
Corporations that are less efficient than competitors have a tendency to go poof, unless they are well connected like GM.
Governments are very much insultated against poof moments, but when they do, oh boy. See Greece.
But your ranting nonsense was soooo earnestly delivered, we will not mock you.
/pat head
“This is corporate America to a T.”
Discussing corporations with libertarians is like discussing evolution with Flat-Earth Creationists.
Note the passive-aggressive manner in which the author cites General Motors as an example of a corporation this could apply to, with a link to one of his blog posts (rightly) critical of Obama’s G.M. bailout.
Not-so-subtle message: never admit that private corporations behave stupidly, inefficiently, badly, etc. unless you can somehow blame it on the government.
These people probably think the comic strip “Dilbert” was inspired by the government sector.
[…] have as many as 18 levels of management. That leads to one of my favorite economists and a little ‘Bureaucracy Humor’, probably created by somebody at Homeland Security of […]
I’m not sure if you’re aware of the President’s Save Award nonsense, but it’s always my favorite form of comic relief (when i’m not terrified by the stupidity) at work.
http://saveaward2011.ideascale.com/
My favorite one this year was to create “energy marshals” to monitory their coworkers energy usage.
S*U*P*E*R*B !!!!
One man’s accountability is another man’s paperwork.
Don’t forget your TPS reports, mmkay?
Is there a powerpoint version of this? We need to get the Desktop Publishing department on the case. But seriously, I would love a powerpoint version to send around (or see it uploaded at slideshare.com).
Mike,
I am not forced to give to corporate America if I don’t want to. Government bureaucracy is paid for partly by me, and I have no choice in the matter.
[…] Bureaucracy Humor, Probably Created by Somebody at Homeland Security or HUD « International Liberty. […]
This is certainly NOT limited to government. It more or less describes private companies, schools, law firms, etc.
If you don’t think corporate America loves paperwork, you’ve never worked in corporate America. It’s true that small companies don’t like paperwork, but once a company reaches a certain threshold with huge separation between ant & lion, then the behavior in this story becomes the norm.
Couldn’t be government. Nobody’s fired in government. They just raise taxes.
[…] HOW BUREAUCRACY WORKS: I’d like to see this as widely distributed as Who Moved My Cheese? But I’m not holding my breath. […]
This is more Government than corporate America – Government demands all the paperwork, and then the Senate demands “investigations” – but not of itself or its own demented pandering.
This is corporate America to a T.
You could apply this to what’s going on in higher education today. And you might point out that when the Lion hires the cockroach, the cockroach is immediately paid double what the ant is paid.
Gotta love bureaucracy!