Corporations absolutely love codependent men! Codependent men are the hardest workers (one of our favorite personal addictions is work-a-hol-ism), the most loyal employees (we have no marriage at home, so we marry the company), and we never complain!
What do we codependent men get in return for being such "company men?" Well, we all need recognition, respect, at least some social life, purpose, and practical stuff like an income and benefits, and corporations provide all of that. Anything we receive from a corporation is conditional...we have to perform well for what we get, but then, most of us grew up in homes where those were the terms as well, so it is all too familiar!
As both a codependent man and a company man I lined the walls of my office with awards and plaques. I covered the surfaces of my office furniture with trophies. I marched up every year during the annual company award banquet to the podium to receive my latest at-a-boy from my giant all-powerful substitute Daddy/Mommy/bride.
I got up early, worked my tail off, stayed late, and took every travel assignment available. This was simply because what was at home was an angry inebriated wife.
After a few years in recovery through the Al-Anon program the plaques began a progression out of my life. They went first to the garage, then to the garbage can. I began to value myself as a human being and not a human doing. After I grew to the point where I better understoof myself (mainly by taking the fourth and fifth steps), I wrote the song below. My guess is many men will read the words, feel the feelings, and relate.
Corporation Fool
Copyright 1992, by Ken P.
Please enjoy this post as a poem for the moment. We are working toward imbedding digital recordingings into this post, so that soon our readers will be able to listen to this as a song while reading the lyrics.
I slip in the si-lence from home.
It's dark and cold there on the drive-way, a-lone.
I'm out be-fore my neigh-bor next door.
I hear the place he works ain't there no more.
Hard look on my face,
I am off to take my place.
A-nother day of play-ing Corporate Fool.
I'm no more than a
Corporation Fool.
(Chorus)
Corporate fooooooool, Cooperate Fool.
A-nother day of playin' Corporate Fool!
Corporate foooooooool, Corporate Fool.
I'm no more than a Corporation Fool!
My brief-case is hea-vy with wood
Made in-to paper at some wood mill, for good.
To-day at the of-fice I Praaaaay.
I'll smile at the right folks and stay.
Mem-os to the boss, e-plain a-way our loss.
A-nother day of playin' Corporate Fool.
I'm no more than a Corporation Fool.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Hard look on my face,
I am off to take my place.
A-nother day of playin' Corporate Fool.
I'm no more..............
Than a Cor..............
..............Poration Fool!
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