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by hpoe 1650 days ago
So I've seen this a couple of times and to me it make sense, but it also seems such a perfect indictment of organizational culture that I could see it being fabricated for laughs. Can anyone vouch for the authenticity of this?
4 comments

> So I've seen this a couple of times and to me it make sense, but it also seems such a perfect indictment of organizational culture that I could see it being fabricated for laughs.

The similarity to actually observed behavior isn't a coincidence.

You can walk out to the factory floor with a sledgehammer and start smashing things right there in front of everyone. You might even cause quite a bit of damage before someone stops you. But then you're getting arrested.

You can cause just as much damage by wasting everybody's time with organizational politics and "safety first" hand wringing, but then what are they going to say? You're too diligent? So then you get to stay and do it all again tomorrow.

Imagine a manager firing someone for being too concerned about safety.

If you'll notice, most of them are about following authority, not maintaining safety. Imagine firing someone for being too subordinate.
> You can cause just as much damage by wasting everybody's time with organizational politics and "safety first" hand wringing, but then what are they going to say?

They’ll probably say you’re promoted!

https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/the-art-of-simple-sabotage... authenticates part of this. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find the full version hosted on their official page somewhere.
I don't know the etymology of the use of the word dope but used in this document it either makes a strong case for its authenticity (or esoteric familiarity with language of the era by the hoaxer) or is a red flag.

> (7) Spread disturbing rumors that sound like inside dope.

That caught my eye anyway.

Appropriate for the time period
The Church Committee hearings (particularly some of the "family jewels" stuff) and Iran-Contra hearings pertaining to Nicaragua and Contras establishes to some extent which sabotage manuals are real and who wrote them.