Reflecting upon the selection process and its periphery

[illusionofjoy]

As I posted last night, the selection process for new Night Shift DJs has concluded and I was not among the chosen. While I was disappointed that I would no longer be "torturing the masses" with my particular musical flare, overall I'm relieved that it's over. An answer, whether it is acceptance or rejection, is release, which is always better than the strain of waiting.

While I may not necessarily agree with who was picked or understand why they were chosen, I was not about to throw a hissy fit about the final decision. It would seen that some people do not share my appreciation for civility.

To those unfortunate, undereducated individuals, I would like to offer these words of advice: grow up already and quit whining!

One thing I did notice during the process of selecting new DJs was that the Night Shift members charged with making the decision as to whom would get in were bombarded with the worst behaviour that humanity had to offer. This behaviour came not from the people who were in the running, but from those who felt slighted because they weren't. For some reason, these small-minded and myopic individuals felt that the Night Shift owed them for some reason or another.

Newsflash kiddies: neither the Night Shift, nor anyone else owes you a god-damned thing! As a patron of Ceremony, you are just that: a patron, someone who pays currency in exchange for goods and services. Even if you work in some other area of the club while Ceremony is occurring, this does not give you carte blanche to act out towards those fortunate enough to be in the DJ booth. You are nothing more than an employee, not god's gift to the Ceremony play list shunned.

Still, those who do not realise this simple order would approach current DJs during the selection process and beg to be considered. If their requests were turned down, they would often lash out at the unfortunate messengers. At one point, not hearing the desired answer to his query from the DJ he'd asked, the snubbed suitor tartly announced that he would, "just go and ask [another DJ] about it," as if the Night Shift weren't a cohesive unit that communicated with each other (newsflash: they are and they do).

I find it particularly paradoxical that these individuals, so bent upon joining the Night Shift are so generous when it comes to abusing the Night Shift. It would seem to me like they are begging to be fed only to bite the hand that could be feeding them.

Of course, in the minds of the psychotics who perceive themselves slighted, the hand that could be feeding them is not only empty, but teasing them as well. To that, I once more intone: get over it!

The girl whose entry I've linked to above went on a lengthy diatribe about how unfairly she's been treated by the Night Shift. In fact, her rant easily runs afoul into the territory known as the temper-tantrum. She screams bloody murder about how cliquish the Night Shift is, how they are "a bunch of idiots," how they ignore her "talents" (I've seen this girl in action and I plead the 5^th, regarding her "talent") and she caps it all off by attacking those who are (were) actually being considered to be part of the Night Shift.

The post reads like a Greek tragedy stretched to comical proportions. Were I a member of the Night Shift trying to decide who to even consider, I would observe these actions and think something along the lines of, "holy shit I don't want to be within 100 feet of this psycho, much less work with her!" It's an example of the honey versus vinegar metaphor played out in the real world.

Still, the "slighted" feel like the world - or at least the Night Shift - owes them. They want that Holy Grail known as a regular spot in the DJ booth and have a conniption when they aren't allowed to drink from the chalice. They think that they deserve a prize for what they perceive as their hard work, their talent, or simply the length of time they have spent in the scene. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: get over it; the world owes you jack squat.

I was considered as a potential Night Shift member. I was damn lucky to be considered for the position. In the end, I made it through my live auditions, my interview and was not chosen as a member. Although disappointed, my reaction was not to whine and hurl insults in the faces of those who didn't pick me nor those they did choose. Instead, I wrote a thank you email to the Night Shift for even considering me and continued on with my life.

I would suggest to those out there who have been "slighted" that they follow in my example and continue on with their lives. However, I suspect that upon reading this they will only be content to flame me instead. I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Such is the way of the "slighted" psychopath.

Comments

Re:

[ancilla.livejournal.com]

well....if that's so, that leaves me wondering a few things....which i'd prefer not to discuss in this place, if that's alright. i'll email you when i've gotten my thoughts put together in a coherent fashion.

and i've taken what you've said to heart; my cd players are off the market, for now ;D actually, ok, i forgot that i can't even sell the damn things until i dj this anime convention next month. hahah. baka me.