Consumerism on a plate

Making Pigs of us all
It was the infamous James Clark, the founder of Netscape, who wanted to make pigs out of his chickens. He was deemed to be a force to reckon with. He was certainly determined and forceful enough to become a billionaire from the Internet feeding trough


Software developing engineers have a lot to thank him for. He transformed the relationship between themselves, the 'talent', which Jim certainly was, and the venture bankers (pardon the unintended rhyming slang but it does reflect Jim's opinion of them). All this was during the halcyon days of the Silicon Valley 'booming towards busting' days of the 90's.

He would state his view on business, using a rather unusual analogy. Consider, if you will, the bacon and egg breakfast, much favoured by the Western world. Jim said that the breakfast represented the company, and that the component parts of the said breakfast, were the people working there.

From this, he stated that by providing the eggs, the chickens have a vested interest in the meal but that the pigs were the only ones truly committed.
He wanted everyone involved in his ventures to move from being chick-chick, chick-chick chickens to become porky pigs.

In the olden days the people with the money controlled the game. The banks bought the biggest slice of the corporate pie and changed it into a standard model, fit for the supermarket shelves. Thus ensuring a quick hype, quick sale and short term profit. Like some people living in small apartments in Amsterdam, there was little room for deviation.

This stifled the creative force immediately. By taking over the driving, the bankers put the 'talent' into the back seat. Buckling them up nice and harmless. If there was big money to make, it was going to be the bankers that made it. After all that was their business, their role in society. Making loads of money for themselves at the expense of others. It is the nature of the creature.

Jim Clark changed this around. He wanted the 'talent' to drive the business, to get the rewards for its success and to sustain their creative flow. So he insisted that the engineers receive a proportionate number of shares in their business and a voice in its destiny. Thus, making pigs of them all and building-in strong commitment.

Clearly as analogies go this one works as a simple illustration but does not bear too much examination. What is the role of the fried tomato or the sausage. Clearly the tomato slice and token salad bits are just garnish. The corporate logo, image and market positioning. The difference between a truck stop and the savoy grill.

Whereas, the sausage is a real player. If its a beef sausage then you suddenly have three parties in this marriage and this doesn't work, for most folk outside Amsterdam. If its a pork sausage, then the pig is dominant. It may be over-committed or over-exploited. Neither is good.

We have not examined the popular use of various coloured sauces. These could only be seen as some sort of lubricant, flavour enhancement and/or sweetener. Probably needed to ease the transition from being a chicken to becoming a pig. It can't be easy. Unless you have the big philosopher's stones ..........but that's another story. Frreep, frreep, that's all folks!

No animals were hurt in the writing of this blog!