The rat race or headless chicken?

Ever wondered why it's called the rat race? I've never had the inclination to look this up in the venerable encyclopaedia of encyclopaedias. I've never 'wikied' it. Until now. And boy, did it let me down. The first 5 seconds of scanning the Google results page did not yield a result that seemed to make sense. Then I found this at Wapedia and it seemed to make know what it was talking about.

Wapedia seems to think the corporate game of keeping that promotion or progression oh-so-elusive causes a rat race. I'm sure the term progression was the love child of Human Resources/Human Capital honchos who sat up at night wondering what jargon they could come up with to make this process any more palatable. I digress, as usual.

Apparently, rats run around in tunnels, pretty much in circles and end up going nowhere. I'll save my comments on what I think of the scientists who did the 'study' on rats running around in circles in tunnels ending up going nowhere for another post. I suppose, it turns out some amused CEO of a company saw the way his executives were keeping themselves on edge and running around purposefully - and knew they were going nowhere, just because he was the boss. He decided to call it a rat race.

I've always equated the race for progression to the final dance of a headless chicken. For one, its frenzied, its urgent and most importantly, the poor chicken probably thinks it can have its head back when it gets to where it's going (how it can think without it's head, I am not too sure). However, a rat race sounds more positive. The word race evokes thoughts of a competition, with an outcome and a winner. However, it does not reflect reality, for in a race, you cannot legally influence the outcome with contacts, making it look like you're running the fastest and sucking up to the guy who holds the timer. You do it by winning the race fair and square.

My gut feeling leans toward headless chicken, quite simply because, there is a mad scramble to get to the next level, often without a clue on direction, means or methods. The chicken that does make it to the next level fastest is the one that has taken the most direct route, by lying still and letting the butcher have his way. The only issue is that the poor little chicken doesn't know that the next level is a boiling pot of oil. Catch my drift? The next level is no better; in fact it is only worse.

Why am I having this long winded whinge? Simply because I am a headless chicken too. All my life, I have looked at the next level and thought life would get easier. Such frivolous thoughts were fuelled by not-so-innocent bystanders who have confirmed just that. When I let the rope slack in 12th grade, I was goaded on with someone saying the hard work now will lead to a life of relaxation at graduation for I will have that extra edge, in CA, the constant thought that accompanied me in all those sleepless nights was that this struggle will lead to a plum job and life of relaxation. I am now sure that 5 years and 3 promotions down the line, life will be cool once I make it to the next level. Pucka puckk puckk...