FanStory.com - Peter's principleby CD Richards
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A tanka for underachievers
A Potpourri of Poetic Curiosities
: Peter's principle by CD Richards
Tanka Poetry Contest contest entry

 
Peter's principle

promoted beyond competence

better to jump ship

than wait to be pushed

embrace your inkyo
 

Recognized

Author Notes
inkyo (n.) the act of resigning or renouncing your position or office.

In 1969, Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull published the satirical book, The Peter Principle. The main idea of the book is that people tend to rise through the ranks, adopting positions of increasing responsibility, until they eventually end up in a job at which they are hopelessly incompetent.

One doesn't have to look far to find very notable and public examples of this phenomenon. This poem suggests the possibility that, having found oneself in such a position, the honourable and face-saving course of action might be to relinquish the position before the decision is taken out of one's hands.

Thanks for reading.

     

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