corporate hell

When people talk about corporate hell, they are discussing the souring of the fundamental human relationships in the corporate structure. the man you see every day taking out your garbage and emptying your paper shredder. the overeager secretary who knows everyones business. your boss. Most of us leave our homes before breakfast and don't come back until around dinnertime. The relationships we establish during these hours are crucial and could affect our self-worth, social development and overall mental health.

In the event that their are problems in our work relationships, perhaps we feel we are overworked and undervalued, what is our recourse? Barely one year out of college, lacking experience,and still trying to prove our worth, should we stick up for ourself in front of our superiors and high level management teams when we feel we are being wronged?

In the most recent issue of New York Magazine (March 5th 2007), Robert Kolker's "The Gay Flannel Suit" describes some of the details behind the case Charney vs.Sullivan & Cromwell, a recent case in which Charney (25) sues his firm for sexual discriminating against him because he is gay. Charney's Columbia Law School Professor, Eben Moglen tells the reporter "it goes beyond thinking the world's a meritocracy to thinking your entitled to something because of your own merits. From there its a short leap to feeling wronged when things don't go your way."

Interesting observation from Columbia. Do Ivy Leaguers feel a sense of entitlement?
Should we twenty - somethings accustomed to debating in the classroom stick up for what we think is fair or just take the $160,000 (the recently announced bump in a first year associates salary at top NYC law firms) and shut the fuck up?