Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ ’bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don’t you know
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what’s theirs
Don’t you know
You better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Oh I said you better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
‘Cause finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ bout a revolution
Yes, finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ bout a revolution, going on
Talkin’ bout a revolution, going on
While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
As I tend to not want to waste time as life is short and no-one is guaranteed another second on this earth, I went straight into the ultimate cost of systemic workplace bullying in my first post, the cost of life. Death by suicide.
In this second post I want to highlight a precursor to suicide: mental health, mental illness in all its forms.
What bullying does to mental health and how I am experiencing it in my struggle to recover is very simple.
Systemic bullying sends a distorted and twisted message to the mind.
In a nutshell, if you are in a room with 10 people and 1 person is treating you disrespectfully or attacks you, while 9 people treat you kindly and respectfully, you think to yourself ‘What’s wrong with that person?’
If you are in a room with ten people and 1 person is treating you respectfully and kind, while 9 people treat you with contempt, disrespectfully, attack or exclude you, you think to yourself ‘What’s wrong with me?’
That is what systemic bullying does to the mind and mental health.
Systemic bullying from a group is like democracy gone wrong!
It is not always the majority that is right! It is the majority that is set up of individuals who have their own set of “values”. They have little to no values and principles that are universal and that robs them of courage, blinding them to opportunities to make a positive, and sometimes even life-saving difference.
One of my favourite poems by Emily Dickinson, which I interpret in my own way and a favourite poem in general, always reminds me to chose my crowd carefully:
The Soul selects her own Society —
Then — shuts the Door —
To her divine Majority —
Present no more —
Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —
At her low Gate —
Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat —
I’ve known her — from an ample nation —
Choose One —
Then — close the Valves of her attention —
Like Stone —
--- Emily Dickinson
I choose my society based on the values that I have. And if a majority chooses to bully an individual or a certain people group, then there is something wrong at the foundation of the values and principles of that majority.
If a company does not have a clear zero tolerance on workplace bullying, than I question the foundation on which this company builds their “values” on.
Mental illness is the cost of systemic bullying and is the precursor to suicide.
Is this really the legacy and the cost a company is willing to have on their record, as I believe things will always come to light sooner or later, unless it is dealt with from the root at top levels.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post.
An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret.
I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
Thank you for reading/listening.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post.
An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret.
I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
Thank you for reading/listening.
2nd Quote of the Day: »I’m doing what I can to save a person’s life … I’m trying to change my country’s rules …So, the security is coming, I don’t know what they gonna do with me, but whatever!« — Elin Ersson
Click anywhere on this video to start:
“A Swedish student activist has stopped the deportation of a man to Afghanistan after she mounted a protest onboard a plane. Elin Ersson refused to sit down until the man was removed from the flight. Visibly upset, and facing anger from fellow passengers, she said: ‘I am not going to sit down until the person is off the plane.'”
Amazing how the lame attempt of a man trying to stop this hero lady from standing up, just serves as a “case study” for cowardliness.
1:08 Man to Elin Ersson: “I don’t care what you think … I don’t care… What about all those children that you, YOU are frightening!”
Emphasizing “YOU”. LOL!!! The only “courage” this man had is to rip off Elin’s phone out of her hands! My my, how will he explain his actions to his family and friends!
The man thought he’d off pull the trick using children on a young woman with guts and heart.
Always using children to try and shut down an uncomfortable mirror held up to the face of indifference. What cowardliness! Well, he bit his teeth out on a strong woman! Good on you Elin Ersson for defying cowardliness!
What’s so beautiful as well is, that Elin is not letting go and wants to exit at the back where the man who they wanted to deport is supposed to exit the plane. She says she wants to see him get off the plane!
Amazing determination as a staff member is trying to bull**** Elin when he aims to deter her from exiting at the same door the man will exit.
Staff member from 2:20, quote: “… Both you and that person (that person?) will leave the flight, okay?”
Elin: “Okay, can I go at the back to see him go down? Can I go out that side [where the man is exiting, not the opposite side where she can’t see him leave the plane]?”
If I understand it right the staff member wants her to leave at the “opposite” exit away from the view of the man exiting the plane, as the staff member is supposedly waiting to see what the procedure is. Ha Ha!
Elin persists: “I want to see him go out, can I go back [back exit]?”
Staff member stalling and trying to appeal to reason: “I understand what you want to do, but the important thing is the rules, right?” [Yeah right!]
Elin doesn’t let go: “Can I go out on that side and go down on that side [not the opposite exit as suggested by the staff member]?”
Staff member mumbling…
The Nobel Peace Prize should be taken a good look at again.
A Jewish saying from the film “Schindler’s List” that is debated where exactly this is written, but it fits Elin’s deed perfectly:
“He who saves a single life, saves the world entire.”
Hopefully they look at their plans for this man’s deportation again carefully.
Elin’s Facebook account is either deleted or on private mode. Hope she is okay and the news that she is supposedly facing jail just a media stunt! But you’re never too small or outnumbered to make a difference! You can stand alone if there is no one to back you up, but eventually they will back you up like a Turkish passenger Elin is pointing out and a football team at the back of the plane!
Weird, I don’t know why this video is dragged vertically so long here, but just click on the above link “FULL VIDEO” to see the normal sized version on YouTube.
»I’m doing what I can to save a person’s life … I’m trying to change my country’s rules …So, the security is coming, I don’t know what they gonna do with me, but whatever!« — Elin Ersson
“You always know the mark of a coward. A coward hides behind freedom. A brave person stands in front of freedom and defends it for others.” — Henry Rollins
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post.
An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret.
I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
Thank you for reading/listening.
Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of poetrasblok.com, LateNightGirl.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission are prohibited.
Too strong, random, annoying, a nuisance, out of place, appearing too cold, unpredictable, scary and dangerously looking, over-sized and underdeveloped, un-explainable, unconquerable, unable to catch, restrain, label and put in a box…?
Only a good, humane and sometimes broken heart can understand and know how to embrace, include and incorporate personality, talent and variety in whatever shape or form.
I don’t like tolerance. I don’t tolerate people, I embrace them. I only tolerate a bullying boss until I have the strength to find a way to stand up against it in a healthy way (unlike I have done in my trauma, but I’m getting there) or find a new job. I tolerate a noisy neighbour who blasts their music at 3am in the morning until I’ve found a solution how to “co-exist” peacefully. Maybe I’ll even go over and give them some of my music, so I can enjoy it as well in the early hours!
My all-time favourite advertisement, I can’t find a better metaphor:
Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission are prohibited.
Bullied during bereavement in Pret A Manger 
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