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Earlier, our editor expressed our opinion that Steven Slater is not a hero. However, not everyone agrees, but it is a hot button issue, so we got another member of the Flight Wisdom team, the Infrequent Flier, to share his thoughts.
Andrew Hickey pens what he calls “In Defense of Steven Slater… and Other Pissed off Workers” . The main thrust of his argument, it would appear, is it’s an awful job, he was stressed, and “it was a tad bit over the top” A “tad bit over the top”? You think? All of us are confronted with stress. But we are all responsible for our actions. Steven Slater caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to his employer, and damaged its reputation as well. That’s certainly over the top, and by a lot more than just a tad. No employer or society can tolerate this sort of reckless behavior, and he must be held accountable.
The move to lionize Slater, to make him into some kind of a modern day Rosa Parks is infantile and offensive. Slater is not a hero, he should be condemned, not praised. Steven Slater Is A Zero, Not A Hero: Stop Saying He Is!
Heroes are the dedicated professionals who remain professional, despite the hard conditions. They are also people who take stands for the greater good. Is there a greater good here? Will this change anything? Here are some alternate opinions, courtesy of the New York Times, from three very different writers.
