MostlyHarmlessMostlyHarmless@thecanadian.social
Jul 28, 2026, 4:16 PMMy conspiracy theory is that some people at work are addicted to setting up meetings because no one listens to them at home, and they don't know how to start a podcast.
Replies
🟥 Eveline Sulman 🇳🇱🇪🇺🇺🇦EvelineSulman@akademienl.socialJul 28, 2026, 4:33 PM
kolyakolya@social.cologneJul 28, 2026, 4:35 PM@MostlyHarmless that... is a solid theory actually
Omar Antolínoantolin@mathstodon.xyzJul 28, 2026, 4:37 PM@MostlyHarmless there's an obvious experiment to try: take half of the people that you suspect this about and teach them how to podcast.
Jul 29, 2026, 2:10 AM- Omar Antolínoantolin@mathstodon.xyzJul 29, 2026, 2:31 AM
@emma Those seem @MostlyHarmless to me.
Arnim Sommer 🇪🇺ArnimRanthoron@ruhr.socialJul 29, 2026, 4:40 AM@oantolin
…and teach half of those to have bots listen to it?
@MostlyHarmless
Jul 28, 2026, 4:39 PM@MostlyHarmless @tantramar I wish they’d just start a podcast. I could continue my life not listening to them with minimal inconvience
Chris Mackay 🇨🇦🐈🐈tantramar@zeroes.caJul 28, 2026, 4:40 PM@erik @MostlyHarmless Or at the very least listen to them at 2×. 🤪
- Jul 28, 2026, 5:34 PM
@tantramar @MostlyHarmless I hear @overcastfm goes to 5x now…
- Chris Mackay 🇨🇦🐈🐈tantramar@zeroes.caJul 28, 2026, 5:46 PM
@erik @MostlyHarmless @overcastfm Can confirm! (I listen at 1× — SmartSpeed is enough of a boost for me.)
DekksdagbokDekksdagbok@toot.lvJul 28, 2026, 5:47 PM@tantramar @erik @MostlyHarmless play their podcast on mute.
- Chris Mackay 🇨🇦🐈🐈tantramar@zeroes.caJul 28, 2026, 5:48 PM
@Dekksdagbok @erik @MostlyHarmless Zing!
Cleo Menezes Jr. 🌵CleoMenezesJr@floss.socialJul 28, 2026, 4:58 PM@MostlyHarmless That's makes a lot of sense. 🤣
urigurig@mastodon.onlineJul 28, 2026, 5:34 PM@MostlyHarmless you're on to something there. I've set us up for a discussion on the topic tomorrow 11:00am at the big meeting room on the 12th floor.
Jul 28, 2026, 6:00 PM@MostlyHarmless damn
Ari "Two Elements" Jacksonarisummerland@beige.partyJul 28, 2026, 6:02 PM@MostlyHarmless I think you're onto something here.
Mauri 🤖🐶weechi87@mastodon.socialJul 28, 2026, 6:20 PM@MostlyHarmless
Omg 🤣
MikeyMikeyU@gardenstate.socialJul 28, 2026, 6:22 PM@MostlyHarmless Quite likely. I think it's also an attempt to prove their relavency. A busy calendar equals productivity, no? How could they be laid off? Who'd attend the meetings? Reminds me of a former coworker who claimed to be always working, evidenced by their instant messenger logged in at all hours - no one noticed when they got the axe.
Eli Roberson (he/him)thatdnaguy@genomic.socialJul 28, 2026, 6:23 PM@MostlyHarmless Counterpoint: some people at work are addicted to setting up meetings because they don't actually serve a function in the org and their only "role" is to appear busy by always being in meetings. ;-)
Die WalisDieWalis@troet.cafeJul 28, 2026, 6:47 PM@MostlyHarmless No conspiracy theory. Reality 😄
Jul 28, 2026, 6:54 PMI used to joke, not laughing, that Heather Isely cried in every "do not share with the public or-else" video we had to watch in meetings, because she perfected triggering screen tears so well we were her captive stage audience.
Effery. Ffffucking. Fffvideo."This single precious tea leaf is the start of our house kombucha brand. 🥲 Its journey through the leathery nurturing hands of people we pay waaay less than you to toil for my bonus was difficult."
Me, bitter still? Hm.
tuban_muzurutuban_muzuru@beige.partyJul 28, 2026, 8:12 PMHeh ! Quickest way to run a quick meeting:
I'd run my own (imposed on me from above) meetings as Stand Up. If they're too tired, go back to your desk.
ArmageddJenItsJenNotGoblin@goblin.campJul 28, 2026, 8:18 PM@MostlyHarmless tbh, I think a lot of meetings are "I need to justify my position existing at all, so I need to show I'm busy".
I'm currently in management and tbh, I would legit say my job COULD be divided amongst existing staff in an equitable way that isn't just "here, do more work". But their jobs could NEVER be divided/split for a variety of reasons.
MWTmwt@mastodon.nzJul 28, 2026, 9:55 PM@ItsJenNotGoblin @MostlyHarmless I've come to the conclusion that everyone in a workplace should be paid the same... The people who do the actual work should be paid more, and although managers are important for keeping them organised and coordinated, they aren't MORE important than the people who do the actual work, so should be paid less.
Schwertfisch 52Schwertfisch@mastodon.socialJul 28, 2026, 8:27 PM@MostlyHarmless 😂👍👏
Synapsenkitzler (Andrej)synapsenkitzler@digitalcourage.socialJul 28, 2026, 8:46 PM
alice :acefox:wheresalice@woof.techJul 28, 2026, 8:47 PM@MostlyHarmless nobody wants to listen to their podcasts, so they use their power in the workplace to make people attend their meetings
Vyrrenascrum_masterix@digitalcourage.socialJul 28, 2026, 9:19 PMIn my experience, too many meetings are usually a sign of unclear power of decision. (At least) some decisions should be made by teams and that requires some amount of meeting. But if the team can not actually decide what needs to be decided, there will be more meetings.
Clarifying the different forms of decision making power helps a lot. So does documenting decisions and making them available.
Andreas Burgeraburgerabz@mastodon.socialJul 28, 2026, 8:49 PM@MostlyHarmless agree 100 pro
Worthülseworthuelse@troet.cafeJul 28, 2026, 8:59 PM@MostlyHarmless The last half-sentence got me.
René Seindalseindal@mastodon.unoJul 28, 2026, 9:00 PMI have a podcast nobody listens to, even though you all should :-)
Also, I hardly ever organise any meetings which don't include food and drink.
Konfetti 🎉🐳Konfettispaghetti@social.cologneJul 28, 2026, 9:05 PM@MostlyHarmless you know my boss?
Jul 28, 2026, 9:19 PMThis is the way
David W. Jonesdancingtreefrog@mastodon.socialJul 28, 2026, 9:45 PM@MostlyHarmless Go news for them: I don't listen to podcasts.
Karen E. Lund 💙💛Karen5Lund@mastodon.socialJul 28, 2026, 9:50 PM@MostlyHarmless This soooo describes a former boss!!!
He sometimes arrived at meetings with a stack of papers, folders, etc a foot high... and almost never referred to them. (He once had a 3" ring binder. Never opened it.)
After I resigned from that job, he nagged me to return. Finally I sent a list of conditions: a four-day work week; at the same salary; and all meetings must have an agenda distributed in advance.
He stopped nagging me.
ShnizmuffiNshnizmuffin@toots.inbutts.lolJul 28, 2026, 10:33 PM@MostlyHarmless bold of them to assume they're being listened to in the meeting
Adron 🤘🏻adron@metalhead.clubJul 28, 2026, 10:40 PM@MostlyHarmless @thomas something about this is exceptionally funny. 😄
LightfighterLightfighter@infosec.exchangeJul 28, 2026, 11:08 PM@MostlyHarmless It does seem like the last refuge of the lonely.
Tammy SchochTammySue@stranger.socialJul 29, 2026, 12:10 AM@MostlyHarmless so much ego 😄
fluffy 💜fluffy@plush.cityJul 29, 2026, 2:16 AM@MostlyHarmless That would definitely explain a few managers I've had over the years
KevinOfComputerKevinOfComputer@hachyderm.ioJul 29, 2026, 3:13 AM@MostlyHarmless This gives me an idea for a podcast title: This Podcast Could Have Been an Email
- KevinOfComputerKevinOfComputer@hachyderm.ioJul 29, 2026, 3:14 AM
@MostlyHarmless Okay it's been done lol
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-could-have-been-an-email/id1629547039
fexfex@fosstodon.orgJul 29, 2026, 4:16 AM@MostlyHarmless I’m working as a consultant - so I can at least bill my clients for all the meetings.
But still - sometimes I have to remind them, that I might need some time between meetings to actually do some work for them…
Vala the Explorer🧶讲述为了消遣chaossea@bgme.meJul 29, 2026, 4:54 AMSounds like there might be a market for 「meeting games」？ 🤑Adult MUN would be a natural format!
Adult MUN: Debate Martian colonization, water wars, or AI sovereignty.
Boardroom simulator: Compete for budgets, promotions, and voting power.
Absurd town hall: Debate tiny issues like banning hair dryers after midnight.
Crisis meeting: A company’s product suddenly becomes sentient, and management has two hours to respond.
Reverse meeting: Everyone tries to prolong the meeting indefinitely, and the best producer of corporate nonsense wins.
liberloebiliberloebi@digitalcourage.socialJul 29, 2026, 7:00 AM@MostlyHarmless Start a class on podcasts.
☀️Solgubbenjordgubben@mastodon.gamedev.placeJul 29, 2026, 11:02 AM@MostlyHarmless Isn’t this why mandated work from office is so ”popular” again?