A modern form of Dickensian Capitalism exists today in Poland. The battle for social status is compounded by the evolution of new social classes. Poland was, until twenty years ago, a truly classless society. Today a tooth and nail struggle for prestige dominates. The need to be first overrules all else and, as you will see if you drive here, Poles are a people who accelerate at maximum speed toward red lights. The yardstick by which the new social classes can be measured is, simply, money. The more you have, the higher your social status. The elite are, therefore, a nouveau riche, disdaining whilst sharply observing and imitating the cultured and educated. The fading reflections of Communism in society can generally be seen in behaviour. The concept of queuing is unheard of here and in situations where an orderly line would normally form there often ensues a struggle using knees and elbows. I once observed the failure of traffic lights at one of the largest road junctions, (a multi–lane crossroads), in Krakow. Within moments each lane of traffic drove as quickly as possible into the centre of the junction, with the inevitable result that the whole road system became gridlocked.
A Communist work ethic often prevails in Public institutions and larger corporations. In such cases the employee is important. The customer is certainly not at all important and should be most thankful to receive any service. Try asking for information in a train or bus station. “How should I know?” is not an uncommon answer in information offices. The lengthy time spent waiting in an attempt to obtain information from banks and Public offices presents you with an opportunity to learn humility and reflect on your insignificance.
2007-03-28 13:06:36
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answer #1
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answered by Santa Barbara 7
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