Friday, 2004-03-05
a dash of karma and a tablespoon of guilt
I've never been a big fan of Martha Stewart.
I'll back up. I consider her to be both stong-willed (compliment, not sarcasm) and a truly remarkable businesswoman. Others, in my presence, have referred to her as a shrewd businesswoman: both a stab and reaction of fear against a female in a position of power. I greatly respect that she managed to break through the glass ceiling, on her own abilities. More women definitely should — and should be able to do so.
Yet I always wondered at what cost. What was the cost of Martha Stewart's success? And what did she do to get where she is today (pre-trial, that is)?
It is my belief that she capitalized on society's desire to keep women both in the kitchen and (woohoo!) outside, in the garden. Sure, men watch Martha Stewart. But in the numbers that women do? No. To sell items at K-Mart she sold the very women that she should've stood up for.
More importantly, a feeling in my gut tells me that she has stepped over whomever it took to climb to the top of her Ivory Tower.
Bitterness? Yeah, I'm bitter, but not only against Martha. Against any character without the spine to consider that others lives can be greatly impacted by the actions in their own. I can name more than a handful of males with worse impact than Martha's $51,000 save. Yet they, somehow, manage to go unharmed.
And therein lies the core of my bitterness. Although I feel Martha should get what she deserves, plenty more fat cats in Corporate America should expect the same possible return for their actions. If many of them (not specifically referring to Martha here) can drop countless employees to make their company more agile/lean, on whims, then their jobs should be every bit as at risk.
Update: Exactly.
If I'm missing the point — as it goes with my opinions of Ms. Stewart — please fill me in.