Hooked on Deadliest Catch
I have to assume that I'm not the only desk jockey in love with Discovery Channel's "The Deadliest Catch" series. But why is this show so popular? What is the appeal?
There's a couple reasons. First, I am fascinated by the unbelievably hazardous and downright unpleasant environment in which these crews work to put food on my table. They are but a symbol for the many men and woman who toil in the food supply chain so I can enjoy a delicious meal with relatively little effort. I actually I feel I owe it to them out of respect for their contribution to our dinner tables to watch as they toil.
Second, the work they do results directly in the monetary reward they receive. Catch too many crabs - you get a fine. Catch to few - you don't make as much dough. Sounds totally fair, but not the way most of us white collar workers are compensated.
Third, the job has a beginning and end. Crab season has its limits. You either succeed or fail, then you are off for five months or something like that. I often say my favorite job was McDonald's where with each customer transaction I could tell if I made someone happy, or not. And at the end of the day, I was done. Didn't lose any sleep on that job.
Finally, the core message of this show seems to be about the importance of team work. I'm just waiting for the Harvard Business School to issue a "Deadliest Catch Case Study for Corporate Team Building." Heck, I think I'll offer to write it.
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