What is the new normal?

Comrade Carl on the new normal

"What is the new normal?" was a question that I posed to our core senior management team, of which I am a senior member.

The jaws of the members of the team dropped, stunned by the power of the query.

Yet I should have known better. Chief Nerd Comrade Carl Marks jumped to his feet, whilst nearly foaming at the mouth. "Great question, baby", as he motioned to me to sit down and picked up his megaphone. 

Carl continued, "we are entering into the age of autonomy. Every Sanjay, Matan and Hsu are working from home, far away from the claws of HR and other policing functions. The nerds are self controlling; R&D Engineering is self controlling. We are now writing pure code, detached from the needs concocted by Sales or by finicky clients. We are self governing. That is the new normal. If anyone does not like it, they can stuff it. Spasiba."

"Jesus, Carl, I don't fucking like it, said CEO Stan. "And you won't like it if I fire you, you weirdo. You and your damned eccentricities! The board thinks I'm a moron for not firing you. They think you work for our competitors."

I sent an sms to CEO Stan to remind that that the Board is chaired by Boris Shostakovitch who studied in Russia with Comrade Carl. Stan winked at me and whispered, "thanks, I forgot ".

Comrade Carl looked Stan straight in the eye and said, "Boss, you are the one that loves America. The federal government, that's you, and the state, that me, always have had conflicts of interests. You are running after the dollar, and I am pursuing perfection. That's ideal. "Don't you agree, Gloria", he said, turning his head to me.

I had been texting my sister and had lost the drift of the conversation. Intuitively I replied, "that's the new normal, is it not?"

Our German CFO, Mister Herr Krebbs, suddenly said, "Ich bin sehr besorgt".  

CEO Stan starred into the abyss, and he dismissed the meeting.

He doesn't like it